


Welcome to Oblivion

by thatcrazywriterley



Category: Dean Ambrose - Fandom, Monday Night RAW, Roman Reigns - Fandom, Seth Rollins - Fandom, WWE, World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: College AU, Coming Out, F/M, Group Sex, Lips of An Angel Came first, Multi, Polyamorous Relationships, Prequel, sexual awakening
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-02
Updated: 2020-06-05
Packaged: 2020-06-06 10:12:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 41,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19442935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatcrazywriterley/pseuds/thatcrazywriterley
Summary: Premise: Addison Holloway is setting off on the road to her future. First stop--Grand Mountain University. Of course, things don’t always go smoothly. When she meets charming football player Roman Reigns and his equally intriguing friends, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose, Addy finds out that college can get quite interesting.





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

It had been a difficult task to convince my parents not to come with me to move in day. Home was 5 hours away—not that long in a car by yourself… but with parents… it would have felt like forever—and I hadn’t brought a whole lot of stuff anyway. Clothes of course, although I left a lot of the heavy winter stuff at home since I wouldn’t be needing it for the semester. But I _had_ brought a lot of books and other things to make my dorm room feel a little more like home. The trunk of my Toyota was loaded down with boxes and bags and random loose items. It would take forever to get them to my room.

The parking lot by the dorm—Felton Hall—was packed with cars dropping off students and unloading stuff. I groaned and smacked my head back into the headrest. My legs were going numb, my butt was sore, and my back was killing me from being in that car for five fucking hours. Plus, I really had to pee.

I inched through the lot, avoiding random boxes and people not paying attention. Once, I thought I saw an empty spot, but when I got close, I realized there was a moped parked in it. I cursed inwardly. Things smaller than cars should _not_ be allowed to park in car spaces. Things like that just went against the laws of the universe.

As I made my second pass through the lot, a couple of guys on the sidewalk started flagging me down. They were jeans, sneakers, and purple football jerseys with a number and _Grand Mountain Rangers_ in gold. One of them signaled for me to roll down the window.

“Hey! Trying to get into Felton?” one of them asked, leaning on the door. He had a funny grin, a shaved head, and a tattoo behind his ear that said _LOBO._ “Yeah, they didn’t schedule this very well. There’s another lot over by Williams Hall, but it’ll be harder to move your stuff. If you go over there, you’ll find the rest of the team helping with unloading. Just tell them you’re in Felton and what room, and they’ll do the rest.”

“Thanks…” I said, waiting for him to give me a name.

“Corbin. Well, Baron’s my first name, but everybody around here calls me Corbin.”

I smiled. “Addison Holloway. Nice to meet you, Corbin.”

He grinned and gently tapped the inside of my car door. “Williams is one over. Out of this lot, make a left. See ya around, Addison.”

It took me fifteen minutes to get out of the lot, but once I did, I was able to find Williams Hall easily. There was plenty of parking—mostly because it was for seniors and they didn’t come back until tomorrow—and what felt like a sea of purple and gold jerseys. I parked the car and got out, feeling every muscle in my body protest at the movement. Every little sinew and bone stretched and popped and cracked as I ran my fingers through my light brown hair to pull it up. I wrapped it in a knot on top of my head so that the faded blue beneath could be seen and tied it off with a band from around my wrist.

“Jesus, I brought a lot of stuff,” I muttered as I stared through the back window. I didn’t even want to think about the trunk.

“Felton?” came a deep voice from behind me. I turned and caught sight of a tall guy with a bright smile and tattoos running down his right arm all the way to his wrist. “Is it still crazy over there?”

I nodded. “Corbin sent me over here. Said I could get some help unloading?”

“Sure thing,” the guy said. He took one look at the back seat and gestured for me to pop the trunk. I cringed as I did, knowing that it was way too much stuff. To my surprise, he shrugged and turned toward the other purple-clad guys nearby. He let out a piercing whistle and yelled, “Drew! And see if you can get my knucklehead cousins!”

The guy turned back with another big, bright smile. “What room are you in?”

Digging through my purse, I snatched at the envelope with my key card. “Room 126. Ground floor, so at least you don’t have to carry all this stuff up the stairs.”

He shrugged as three other guys appeared out of nowhere. One was ridiculously tall, broad shouldered, and barrel chested. I felt myself blush when he turned bright blue eyes on me. The other two were slightly shorter, but still taller than me. They looked like the first guy, with the same golden skin and dark grey tattoos snaking down their right arms. The three of them started pulling stuff out of the trunk and back seat, carrying two and three boxes or suitcases each.

“Trust me,” the first guy said, “we’ve carried more all the way up to the top more than once today. It’s not a big deal.”

“Thanks…”

“Roman. Reigns.” He balanced two boxes with one arm while holding out his other hand. He gestured with his head toward the three retreating figures who, incidentally, had nearly emptied out my trunk in one trip. “And those three… The big guy is Drew McIntyre. Scottish, beast on the field. Nerd off. The other two are twins—my cousins Jimmy and Jey. Don’t worry about telling them apart. I barely can.”

I nodded, not quite sure why I would ever _need_ to tell the two of them apart. It wasn’t like I was going to be in the same building or anything. “Addison Holloway. Call me Addy.”

Roman grinned, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Well, ‘Call me Addy,’ grab what you can and we’ll meet you there.”

He walked off, carrying the boxes as if they were practically empty. When I looked back at my car, I was surprised to find that there were just two bags left. _Geeze,_ I thought, _it’s nice to have football players around._ I grabbed the bags and took off, huffing as I pulled the bags up over a slight rise that separated Williams and Felton.

***

After unpacking all my stuff and stowing the broken-down boxes in the back of the closet, I grabbed a quick shower in the bathroom that was shared with the next room. It would take some time to get used to sharing a bathroom with someone—at home, I had one all to myself. Now, it was entirely possible that three different people would be showering, using the toilet, and brushing their teeth at the sink all at the same time.

It was half past ten when I finally curled up in my bed, but I couldn’t sleep. Partly because I was hungry, and partly because there was just so much adrenaline running through me from knowing that I started college in two days. My stomach growled and gurgled, a sudden reminder that I hadn’t eaten in almost twelve hours. Sighing, I rolled out of bed, grabbed a pair of sweatpants, and tugged them on over my sleep shorts.

“If only I knew where the good places for late night grub were,” I murmured as I pulled my door shut behind me, stuffing my keycard in my pocket.

I scrolled through my phone, trying to find a fast food place. The only sound in the hallway was the click of my flip-flops and the faint tap of my phone as I tapped the keys. It seemed like all the other students who had moved in were in for the night. I wondered if that was a common thing. Grand Mountain was one of the best universities in the state. Maybe I’d gotten in a dorm with a bunch of really smart people—or just went to bed hella early.

When I turned the corner to the lobby of the building, I caught sight of a familiar face. Of course, it would have been hard to miss him since he was ridiculously tall and still decked out in the purple and gold Rangers jersey from earlier. His name drifted just out of reach for a moment, and then…

“Drew!” I’d called out the name before I’d consciously made the decision. His head snapped around at the sound, blue eyes searching the empty lobby.

He grinned, showing dimples, when he caught sight of me. He lifted his hand, said a quick series of goodbyes to the group he was with, and crossed the room in a few long strides. “Hey…”

“Sorry,” I stammered, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear nervously. “Addison. Addy. Sorry, I just… I don’t know anyone here yet, and I remembered you from earlier.”

“It’s fine,” he replied, a faint lilt to his words. “Settled in okay?”

I nodded. “Just hungry. I was wondering if you knew of any places nearby? That are within walking distance and are still open?”

“Oh, yeah. There’s a place over on the far side of Watson Hall on East Walker. Take a left as soon as you pass Watson. Two blocks down on your right. Open ‘til one every night.”

It took a moment for the directions to sink in. When I was sure that I remembered, I gave him a quick smile. “Thanks, Drew. You’re a lifesaver.”


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I woke up around ten the next morning, my entire body sore from packing, driving for five hours, and then unpacking. My nightstand bore the results from last night’s fast-food run—a Stryofoam cup half full of the remains of melted ice and a matching tray container with ketchup residue and a faint film of grease. But it was amazing at midnight and it was worth the morning churning gut feeling that I had. I could taste the aftereffects in the back of my throat as I rolled out of bed.

“She lives,” came a voice from the doorway. It popped open and a girl with black hair and a cool tan. She smiled as she tossed a couple duffle bags on the opposite bed. “I started moving in earlier, but I didn’t want to wake you up. I’m your roommate.”

My thoughts took a few minutes to catch up to what she said. I rubbed my hand over my hair, taking stock of exactly how much of a disaster it appeared to be. She thumped down on the empty bed and tucked her feet up beneath her. I let out a groan.

“Roommate. Yeah. Totally sorry that this is how we meet. I’m Addison. But most people call me Addy.” I put up my hand in a faint wave-wiggle sort of thing. “It’s nice to meet you.”

She gave me a warm, genuine smile and a little three-finger salute. “Sonya Deville. Want a donut?”

“Huh?”

She produced a square brown box and flipped open the top. Inside were half a dozen donuts that were as big as my palm and as thick as my wrist. Some were just plain glazed. Others had a perfect layer of chocolate topping. After a moment, Sonya held the box toward me. “Take one. Or two. Or half. I’m not picky. Just not all of them, because then I’ll knock you out.”

I couldn’t tell if she was serious or not, but decided the best thing to do was not risk it. I slid off the edge of the bed and crossed the room to pull out one of the chocolate-topped ones with the tips of my fingers. Sonya’s grin got bigger.

“Girl after my own heart,” she replied, grabbing one of the other chocolate ones. “Drew said you seemed pretty cool.”

I felt my eyes go wide as I nearly choked on the huge bite of donut I’d just taken. “Drew said what now?”

Sonya grinned as she quickly polished off her own donut, licking the icing from her fingers. “We had English literature together last semester. He’s a huge dork. It’s pretty cool that he got the RA spot on the guys’ floor, especially with football.”

_Guys’ floor_? The words rushed through my head, trying to put themselves together so that they made sense. It hit me fast—enough to distract me from the idea that a guy I met yesterday was talking about me to some girl I’d just met. “Duh. Right, co-ed dorm. Do we have an RA yet?”

The box of sweets ended up on her desk as she stood, starting to pull random things out of the bags she’d brought in. “Yeah. She’s a senior. Charlotte Flair. Can’t say I’m a big fan. She’s… well, I’ll let you form your own opinion.”

_Well that sounded ominous._

***

The first shower in a shared bathroom was interesting. At least it was like a gym shower—with a door that closed off a small changing area and then the shower itself. The water was hot and never seemed to run out, so that was good. After I got cleaned up, I pulled on some of my more presentable comfy clothes and decided to take a trip around campus to figure out where all the buildings were. Finding shortcuts early would save a lot of embarrassment for the next morning.

Before I left, Sonya tossed me a stainless-steel water bottle. “Stay hydrated. Bring it back. That’s my good luck bottle.”

I nodded, slightly confused, and hooked my finger through the loop that connected the cap to the bottle itself. There was a fountain in the lobby of the building by the stairs. It was only when I was filling it up at the machine that I realized that it had a pride flag on the side.

_I could see it_ , I mused, thinking about my new roommate. But I figured she’d tell me if she wanted to. Or maybe there was nothing to tell. Allies were a thing too.

There was a small gathering of people over in the lounge area and even more milling about near the elevator. Upperclassmen were moving in, bringing with them fewer bags and boxes than myself and my fellow wide-eyed freshmen. The doors kept opening and closing, people coming in with a new load of stuff.

“Hey, it’s Call me Addie.” I followed the sound of the gruff voice to find a familiar figure in a purple and gold jersey. Roman grinned at me, his dark eyes crinkling, as he carried in a couple boxes. They were marked for a room on the fourth floor. “Heard you popped down to Gino’s last night.”

“How’d you… Drew.” I was suddenly a little weirded out by how he was talking about me to other people.

As if he could sense my rising discomfort, his smile softened a little. “Hey, you don’t have to worry about him. Really. Guy has a photographic memory or something like that. He remembers everything. But if it makes you feel better, if he gives you trouble let me know. I’ll take care of him.”

His voice sounded so genuine that I just nodded in thanks. “Hey, what’s the best way to get to the main campus from this building?”

Roman was quick with his response. “Follow the sidewalk until it forks out, then go left. That takes you to the academic buildings. If you take a left, you can get to the student union with the bookstore, the cafeteria, and the food court.”

I felt a smile growing on my face. “Between you and Drew… you guys are great guides.”

“Drew and Corbin are on the fourth floor in this building. If you need anything, you can find them in 419.”

Grinning, I waved as I slipped out the front of the building. The sun was bright overhead, but it wasn’t as hot as it would have been at home. The rolling mountains seemed to corral the wind and keep it blowing in cool breezes. I wouldn’t want to be out in this all day, but it wouldn’t be too bad for a quick tour of the campus.

***

It took me about 45 minutes to go over the entire campus. The classroom buildings were close enough to one another that I didn’t have to worry much about being late if I had classes that were back-to-back. The student union was big and airy—three floors of everything a college student could need. The bookstore took up one whole corner of the first and second floors. Half of the second was a huge cafeteria. A mini food court spread out on the main floor along with a rec room with tables for pool, ping-pong, and foosball. The top floor was study rooms and offices for student groups. Down the hill from the student union was the health center, where there was a gym and a pool.

I grabbed a sandwich from one of the places in the food court and set myself up in a shaded spot in the yard in front of the dorm. It was nice to relax for a little while before thinking about tomorrow. College was a scary sort of thing. God only knew how I was going to get through it.

“Hey,” Roman said, dropping down into the grass beside me. His black hair was pulled into a tight, messy knot on the back of his head. There was color in his cheeks and the faint musk of sweat. “I was starting to think you got lost.”

I snatched up my napkin, holding it over my face as I finished chewing an obscenely large bite of food. He grinned as I bunched up the paper in my hand. “So, you think I’m helpless?”

“That’s not what I said,” he replied, looking a little chagrinned.

“I know. I’m just teasing.” Tucking my trash back into the bag, I leaned back on my elbows. “Dunno why, but it seems like you’re my first friend at college, Roman Reigns.”

He nodded, turning so he was facing me. He pulled up one leg, draping his arm across his knee. “I guess I’m okay with that, Call me Addy.”

I rolled my eyes. “That’s such a dad joke kind of thing. You get that right?”

“But it’s funny. You want to laugh. I can see it in your eyes.”

“The day I laugh at that will be the day you catch me at a football game for fun,” I retorted.

Roman looked deeply hurt. “Everybody comes to football games! Especially the homecoming game in October. The whole campus shuts down.”

I shrugged. “I was never a sports fan. Pissed my dad off because I was a cheerleader for a while before I tore my ACL. I don’t know how many times he asked me _how can you not understand football, Addy… you’ve been to every game since you were in fifth grade_.”

“Like a cheerleader or a _cheerleader_?” He asked it with sincerity, the way he emphasized the second time it was clear that he meant those cheerleaders who competed in tournaments and won national championships three years in a row. You know, the _Bring It On_ types.

“Option number two,” I replied, straightening out my legs, crossing them at the ankles. If I looked hard enough, I could see the scar from the surgery I’d had in the middle of my senior season.

“That explains it then. Too busy worrying about routines and basket tosses to watch the game and learn.” Roman shook his head dramatically. He grinned, one corner of his mouth turning up. “Your squad any good?”

“Ever heard of Lynwood High?”

His eyes got wide. “As in three-time consecutive national champions Lynwood High? The Lynwood High that had never finished lower than the top three in the last ten years? That Lynwood High?”

I nodded, feeling slightly smug.

“Damn,” he said, looking impressed. “Didn’t they lose the title this year?”

“Yep. And one of their top players lost an athletic scholarship to Georgia Tech.”

Realization rushed over his features. “Well, that’s shit.”

I sat up, pulling up a leg and resting my chin on my knee. “Eh. Grand Mountain was my second choice. And I have a roommate who seems to magic donuts out of nowhere. So there’s that.”

At that, Roman let out a laugh that seemed to rumble from his chest. His grin returned looking brighter and making his eyes crinkle adorably. “You got Sonya Deville?”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“God, no. She’s awesome. She was in my dorm last year. We found boxes of donuts out in the lobby every morning. Before away games, she’d bring dozens of them to the fieldhouse. I don’t know _where_ she gets them, but they’re the best fucking things in the world.”

I giggled, imagining Roman and Drew scarfing down boxes of iced donuts on the bus—their coach yelling at them to stop it with the sweets. “You really like donuts, huh?”

“The ones Sonya gets. Hell yeah.”

His smile was something that just made me want to smile along with him. It was infectious. Having him as a friend would be pretty awesome.

“Oh my God,” Roman said, his face contorting with displeasure. “I’m ripe. Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I’m used to stinking football players.”

It was his turn to roll his eyes. “Well, I’m going to hit the showers. I’ll see you around, Addy.”

“See you, Roman.”

By the time I made it back to my room, Sonya had somehow procured another box of donuts—this time with strawberry filling and sprinkles on top. I sat her water bottle on her desk and snatched one of the sweets before flinging myself onto my bed.

“Mind if I watch TV?” I asked Sonya, who was stretched out on her bed reading a book. When she shook her head, I dug around in the blankets for the remote and turned it on, searching through the channels until I found my favorite guilty pleasure show.

As soon as it started, Sonya perked up. “Shit, I love this show.” Her book ended up on the floor as she curled up on her own bed to watch.

Between Roman and Sonya… maybe college wouldn’t be so bad after all.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

_(GIF owned by alexasbliss on Tumblr)_

I woke up the first day of classes to Sonya doing sit-ups in the middle of the floor. Every time she made her chest touch her knees, she let out a grunted number and huffed a breath. When she saw that I was awake, she grinned.

“Breakfast donuts are on my desk. Get going, girlie. You don’t want to have to wait on Dana and Ember for that shower.”

With a grunted acknowledgement, I dragged myself out of bed and into the bathroom. I slipped into the shower stall and gave myself a few moments to wake up. Once I heard others bustling around at the sinks, I got to it. It only took three or four minutes for me to finish up and step out with a towel wrapped around my hair and another around my body.

I hoped I could tip toe over to one of the toilet stalls without being seen so I could dry off and get changed, but no such luck. Two girls stood at the sinks—one white with platinum blond hair that was streaked with neon pink and green and one black with long hair cut through with bright red and orange. They leaned over, brushing their teeth in almost synchronous timing. The blond girl saw me as I tried to sneak behind them.

“Morning,” she mumbled, toothbrush sticking out of the corner of her mouth. “Name’s Dana. That’s Ember.”

“Morning,” I said quietly, trying to work my way out of their line of sight. “I’ll just…”

Ember looked up, catching my attention with bright amber eyes. “We’ll be out of the way in a few minutes. You can use my dryer if you want.” She gestured to a bright purple blow dryer sitting on the counter. “I’d offer my flat iron, but you know… that’s kinda gross.”

I grinned—just with one corner of my mouth, but still. “Thanks, Ember. I’ve got my own flat iron anyway.”

“Stop flirting and get dressed!” Sonya shouted from our room. “The donuts are getting cold and I’m not going to deal with _‘Good morning, girls’_ Charlotte this morning.”

My roommate slipped into the bathroom and nearly launched herself into the shower, much to Dana’s annoyance. When the blond girl started giving her hell, Sonya simply poked her head around the curtain, stuck out her tongue, and said, “Suck it up and have a donut, Brooke.”

The last thing I heard before I shut the door to the bathroom was Dana huffing, “But I just brushed my teeth!”

***

I stuffed my laptop, a notebook, and my class schedule in my backpack along with my wallet and keys. Snatching up a donut, I waved at Sonya as I headed out the door. The hallway had a faint buzz of energy to it as people trickled from their rooms to their early morning classes. I had a nine o’clock world history and then an eleven o’clock astronomy class. It was barely eight, so I had time to actually go by the student union and grab breakfast. Sonya’s donuts were great, but I wasn’t about to rely on the sugar high to get me through my first day of college.

The door at the end of the hall banged open as someone came down the stairs. I smiled when I saw a familiar face. Drew was dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a white t-shirt, a messenger bag strapped across his chest. One of the twins was walking at his side, talking animatedly.

“Morning,” I said lightly as they got closer.

Drew glanced over, grinned. “Morning, Addy. Breakfast?”

I nodded, then gestured to the sweet in my hand. “I’m going to be in a sugar coma if I just eat this.”

He laughed, a deep rumbling sound that seemed to vibrate through the entire room. I couldn’t help but grin back at him. “Yeah. You can join us if you want.”

“Sure. Thanks.”

He introduced me to the guy at his side. This one was Jimmy.

“You’re Roman’s cousin.”

Jimmy nodded. “We’ll probably run into my brother in the café. It’s cool if you can’t tell us apart. Most people can’t.”

“I bet you ten bucks I can tell the two of you apart by the end of the week,” I said, munching on my donut. The sky was bright blue as we walked toward the student union. People filed by, making tracks through the well-manicured lawns and avoiding the steps by hiking up the slope leading to the academic side of campus.

“You’re on, _teine_ ,” he said with a grin. I glanced around Drew’s bulk, brow lifted in question. Jimmy waved his hands in the air, gesticulating wildly. “It means girl. You know? It’s Samoan.”

I nodded, not quite sure what else to say.

Drew’s elbow brushed my shoulder as we stepped out of the way of a crowd of people heading back to the dormitories. To the last of them, they were dressed in pajamas. I swear I saw one of them with unicorn slippers.

“Hey, Woods,” Jimmy called, turning so he could walk backwards. One of the guys in the crowd that just passed stopped and looked up. “Imma kick your ass in Halo tonight.”

“You ain’t gonna beat your boy, Uso. Keep dreamin’!” He flipped Jimmy off and grinned, a wide and mischievous smile. “My room at ten, bitch.”

Drew let his large hand hover just over the small of my back, leading me away from the still gaping Jimmy. “They’re always like that,” he said, his voice lilting in a calming sort of way.

“Is everyone here already friends?” I asked, suddenly feeling very much the outsider. The more I thought about it, the more I realized there seemed to be established groups and hierarchies, patterns and expectations. And I had no clue about any of them.

He chuckled. “You just happened to get dropped into a dorm with a lot of people who aren’t freshmen.”

Nodding, I blushed a little as he held open the door of the student union. Once inside, he led the way up the stairs to the second floor. The scent of bacon and sausage and maple syrup nearly made my mouth water. Once we’d passed the lady who scanned our ID cards, I nearly ran off toward the food.

I could hear the Scotsman chuckling over the clatter of plates and flatware as I started loaded up a plate.

***

History was in Garcia Hall, in a huge auditorium that fit at least two hundred people. There were people spread out all over, the largest number of them in the back of the room. I bopped down to a row about halfway and dropped into an empty seat.

An hour later—and in desperate need of something to wake me up—I trudged back over to the student union to hit up the coffee shop and to pick up a textbook that hadn’t been on the online list. I passed Ember as she thumped a heavy stack of books on the counter, apparently having waited until the last minute to pick up her stuff.

When it was time for astronomy, I didn’t have to look too hard to find the right building. Helmsley Hall had an observatory bubble on top. The room listed on my schedule was just barely smaller than the auditorium from my history class. But this time, empty seats were a little harder to find. I stood at the top of the room, scanning from one side of the other to find a seat that wasn’t squished between two strangers.

“Hey, Call me Addy!”

It took a moment for my brain to register that it was Roman’s voice. I scanned the room again, found him standing up in a row about two-thirds of the way down. His hair was slicked back and tied in a knot and he wore a well-fitted black t-shirt and jeans. He waved me down, clearing his bag out of the empty seat beside him.

I apologized profusely as I climbed over people to get to where Roman stood. He grinned and wrapped me in a warm hug.

“How’s it been so far?” he asked, tucking his bag under his seat.

“Only one other class. World History. I have the feeling it’s going to make me want to cry.”

“That bad?” Roman turned toward me, one arm draping over the back of the seat.

I shrugged. “That boring.”

He grinned. “Well, I hear this class is pretty good. Jey took it last semester, and I’ve never seen him excited about school before.”

“Ah ha,” I replied, grinning back at him. “So there’s a lab for this, isn’t there?”

Roman nodded just as a door off to the left at the bottom of the room creaked open. A man with wild hair and a cup of coffee made his way to the podium at the center of the stage. He looked to be in his mid-thirties with a kind smile and an aura of energy.

“I’ve got dibs on you as a lab partner, then,” I said, just before the professor started to speak.

“Deal.”

I couldn’t help but realize that he never moved his arm from across the back of my seat.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

_(GIF by leakees on Tumblr)_

The first week flew by. World History made me want to cry, Spanish was easier than I expected (I was surprised to find one of the girls in my dorm was fluent and an amazing language lab buddy), pre-calculus reminded me why I’d hated math in high school, English gave me an excuse to ignore people and put my nose in a book. Surprisingly—or perhaps not so much—astronomy was my favorite class. It was interesting, every single thing we looked at was beautiful and awe-inspiring, and the professor was so passionate about it that it was impossible not to enjoy the class.

And, well, it was nice to have someone I knew in the class. Roman saved me a seat every day, even moving further toward the front when I asked to sit closer. He always sat on my right so he could drape his left arm along the back of my chair while he took notes with his other hand. It was a nice way to pass the time.

“Want to grab lunch?” Roman asked one day after class. “We can get that lab schedule out of the way.”

I grinned, tucking my laptop back into my bag. “Sure. Can we go somewhere other than the cafeteria? I need a change. Just for a day.”

Roman chuckled and snatched my bag from me. He carried it by the handle in his right hand. “What about the barbeque place in town?”

“Sounds great.”

***

Roman drove an extended cab pick up truck. He opened the passenger door and held out his hand to help me up. He tucked my bag in at my feet before jogging around to the driver’s side.

We rode in silence to the restaurant. Roman drove with his left hand on the wheel, right hand in his lap. He had the windows down, the wind rustling my hair around my face. It was a warm day, the sun afternoon bright—just enough to keep the sky a clear blue and the air a comfortable temperature.

“Are you settling in okay?” Roman asked at last.

I shrugged. “Sonya is… interesting. But she’s been fantastic. Ember and Dana have been nice. I’ll be honest, I miss being home sometimes. But everything else has kept me busy. And Drew has been practically indispensable.”

I happened to glance over and see Roman clench his jaw when I mentioned Drew.

“You’re getting to be good friends with him, huh?” His voice sounded a little gravellier than I had heard before.

“He’s kept an eye on me. And we’ve walked to breakfast a couple times together. But we haven’t really hung out.”

Roman let out a faint grunting noise as he pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant. He hopped down from the cab and came around to open my door. Before I could slide out, Roman took me gently by the waist and sat me on the pavement.

I felt myself blush furiously as he handed me my bag. I slung it over my shoulder as he shut the door.

“It’s a big truck for a little girl,” he said teasingly.

My heart thudded in my chest. “Pfft,” I hissed, “I’ve seen bigger.”

Roman’s eyes went momentarily wide before he caught himself. A smirk settled on his lips. “That’s what you think,” he replied playfully before leading the way into the restaurant.

***

We sat there for what felt like a few minutes, but turned out to be a few hours. It was three o’clock when we realized that we’d both missed our afternoon class—psychology for Roman, English for me.

“Oh well,” Roman said, shrugging. He munched on his third order of hushpuppies and leaned back in his chair. “I guess I’ll never find out what part of the brain controls primal urges in humans.”

“It’s the hypothalamus,” I replied easily.

“How do you know that?”

I felt the corner of my mouth curl upward in a smile. “I took anatomy and physiology in high school. We learned all about the hypothalamus and the four _F_ s.”

Roman leaned forward, putting his elbows on the table. The move made his biceps flex, momentarily distracting me. “What, pray tell, are the four _F_ s?”

“Primal urges and stress responses. Fight, flight, feeding, and…you know.” My pulse hammered. I swear I was starting to get lightheaded.

“No,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest and watching me with a wicked smirk. “I don’t.”

I looked up at the ceiling, almost pleading with God to open the earth and swallow me whole. Why had I tried to show off and put myself in the position of having to say _this_ to Roman, a guy I barely knew… and one that was incredibly attractive.

“The _other_ primal urge. C’mon, you’re a guy. You know exactly what I mean, Roman.”

He shrugged, his smirk getting bigger.

“You’re going to make me say it, aren’t you?”

Roman tilted his head, almost as if he was sizing me up. “Yep.”

I lowered my voice, feeling a blush of shame creep over my features. “You know… _fucking_ …”

Something turned dark in Roman’s eyes. It disappeared as quickly as it came, but I couldn’t mistake that it was there.

Awkwardness settled over the table. Roman looked at me with his black eyes, his face unreadable. I felt like shrinking into the floor and disappearing. I didn’t know how we were going to handle a drive back to campus.

Suddenly Roman smiled just like he had that first day we met. He grabbed the check from the table and tossed my bag over his shoulder. “C’mon, Addy. Let’s take a drive.”

He led the way to the counter, pulled a couple bills from his pocket, and heaped a few complements on the staff before leading me back outside. As he held open the door of the truck, he gave me a friendly smile. “You have any plans today?”

“No,” I replied, my voice a little breathier than I liked.

“Good,” Roman replied.

***

We drove out of town and away from campus. The mountains rose up around us as Roman headed into the local national park. The roads narrowed as they climbed higher into the forest. Dirt and gravel roads branched off the main paved road, signs posted at the beginning of each warning danger for all but four-wheel drive vehicles. Roman ignored all of them, following signs for an overlook.

“Roman?” I asked quietly, picking at the edges of my fingernails nervously.

“Hmm?”

I tried to get my words together, to figure out what I wanted to say. “Do you think… maybe…”

He gave me time—time to get my words in order, to screw up my courage, to figure out what I wanted to ask. His presence was strangely calming even as it made my pulse quicken. I closed my eyes, forced myself to just spit it out.

“Do you think we could maybe hang out together sometime?”

It wasn’t quite what I wanted to say, but close enough. I didn’t have the courage to outright ask him on a date.

Roman glanced toward me, a warm smile on his face. It made his dark eyes light up. “I’d like that,” he said simply.

He pulled the car into a gravel lot next to a wide wooden platform. I didn’t wait for him to help me down, instead I popped open the door and hopped from the runner to the ground. My knee gave a faint twinge, but other than that I was fine. When he came around the front of the truck and saw me standing there, he grinned even brighter.

He held his hand out, palm down, asking silently to take my hand. I blushed and took it, feeling his warm, rough fingers wrap around mine.

“So does this count as hanging out?” he asked softly, guiding me toward the overlook.

I blushed. “I guess?”

“Well, I suppose we’ve gotten that first date awkwardness out of the way.” He laughed, a deep belly laugh that sounded like it rumbled in his chest. “I can’t believe you talked about fucking on our first date.”

Gasping, I banged into his shoulder. He took a few steps to the side, bringing me with him. “You made me.”

Roman’s thumb brushed gently over the back of my hand. “I promise I’ll never make you do anything, Addy.”


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

_(GIF owned by stellarollins on Tumblr)_

“So,” Drew said as we walked to brunch on Saturday, “you and the Big Dog, huh?”

I yawned, trying to wake up. Part of me wished I hadn’t ever gotten out of bed. It was a weekend, after all, and I’d been pretty good about getting my work done during the week. Sleeping in was definitely a possibility. “The _Big Dog_?”

The Scotsman chuckled. “Roman. It’s a football thing.”

I nodded. “We used to have that back in high school. One of the tight ends used to be called Oreo. No idea why, but still. Cheerleaders did that kind of thing too.”

“Yeah, I heard you used to be pretty good.”

“ _Pretty good_?” I scoffed, sticking my nose up in the air. “I was a state champ by my sophomore season and nationally ranked as a junior. If I hadn’t destroyed my ACL, I probably would have finished my senior season with an elite national title.”

I looked up and saw Drew smirking. “What?”

“Roman looked you up.” His blue eyes flashed when he realized what he said. “Not in a creepy way. He was looking at Lynwood’s stats and found your stuff.”

We slipped into the student union and up the stairs to the cafeteria. Drew took the steps three at a time. I had to basically jog to keep up with him. By the time he looked back at me, I was huffing and puffing.

“I’m going to just start piggybacking you everywhere. Short people…”

We laughed as we swiped our ID cards and split off to grab something before it all got gone. I ran into Ember in the line, one of Sonya’s donuts wrapped up in her pocket, a piece of toast between her teeth, and a tray full of food. She tried to talk, but there wasn’t much that I could understand. I just nodded and walked off with my tray.

Drew had two plates in front of him—piled high with country fried steak, sausage, eggs, bacon, and at least three helpings of cooked apples. I felt my jaw drop when I sank into the chair across from him. “You’re going to have a heart attack,” I mumbled.

He laughed. “Please. I’ve seen Roman put away two extra large pizzas _by himself_ in less than an hour. Trust me, I’ve got nothing on him.”

***

I was stretched out in my pajamas with my headphones in and my astronomy book on my lap. Weather permitting, there was a lab at the observatory in the mountains starting at 10. Since Roman was the only person I knew in the class, he’d offered to pick me up on his way.

There was a painful tug on the chord of my headphones. I looked up to see Sonya standing there, her hands on her hips. “You expecting a visitor?”

Confusion flashed over my face. “Later, yeah. Why?”

She smirked and stepped to the side. Once she was out of the way, I could clearly see Roman standing at the door of my dorm room dressed in a pair of black sweatpants and a Grand Mountain Pirates tee. His hair was longer than I expected, settled against his shoulders in damp curls. He wore a faint grin.

“What time is it?” I immediately yelped, thinking that I’d let myself get too carried away in reading and lost track of time. But when I looked, it was barely 7.

“I thought we could grab something to eat before we headed up the mountain,” he said, leaning his shoulder on the door frame. “I texted you.”

I snatched up my phone and saw the two messages from him. “Shit, Roman, I’m sorry. I was kind of zoned out with the book.”

His grin began to grow into a full smile. “I got you,” he whispered. “I can head up to hang out with Drew until later if you want.”

“No!” The word was out before I could stop it. Sonya snorted—clearly trying to stop herself from laughing at my quick response. “I mean, you can if you want. But it won’t take me too long to get ready.”

It was in that moment that I realized where I was and what I was wearing. Roman was basically in my bedroom while I was sitting in a threadbare tank-top and cheer shorts. Panic rushed over me as I snatched a pillow and tugged it into my lap, trying to hide behind it. Sonya snorted so hard that she nearly choked. Roman smiled even bigger at my discomfort.

“I’ll meet you in the lobby,” he said, his cheeks going slightly red.

He slipped away, letting the door swing shut behind him. As soon as he was gone, I turned and threw the pillow at Sonya as hard as I could. “You’re horrible!” I shrieked.

Sonya caught he pillow with ease, still laughing. “I just saved you two months of trouble, and I’m horrible?”

“I don’t know how you can say that was saving me trouble.” I scowled as I jumped from the bed to dig through my clothes for something to wear.

She sat on the edge of her bed, watching me with interested eyes. “I’ve known girls like you my whole life, Addy. You try to act like you’re so pure or whatever, but you’re really not. And you’re expected to be coy and play hard to get and all that bullshit. You like Roman, and he _clearly_ likes you. So… he knows what you look like in skimpy clothes. And it looked like he appreciated it. You’ve got that over with. Now you can get on with the dating and shit.”

“I’m not like that.”

Sonya gave me an appraising look, her eyes a little sad. “Every girl like you is like that.”

I turned back toward her, feeling my pulse start to rise. “What do you mean _like me_ , Sonya? You say it like I’ve got the plague or something.”

“I’m not trying to insult you, Addy. It’s just…” She looked away before answering. “It’s been my experience with cheerleader types.”

“Just make assumptions about me, then. We barely know each other.”

Before she could say anything else, I grabbed my clothes and practically stomped into the bathroom to change. I fumed the entire time, angry that she could go so far as to stereotype me like that. And she had no right to put me in this position with Roman. Even if it wasn’t really as big a deal as I was making it, it still wasn’t okay. I tugged on my jeans and t-shirt, wadding my pajamas up into a ball as I walked back to our room.

Sonya sat at her desk, the ever-present box of donuts on one side, a stack of textbooks on the other. She barely looked up as I slipped on my shoes, grabbed my backpack, and headed out of the room.

Roman was stretched out in the lounge in one of the huge stuffed chairs. He glanced up when I appeared, a smile on his face. The moment he got a good look at me, the smile seemed to drop.

“You okay, Addy?” he said, standing up. He loomed over me, stepping closer into my personal space. Roman seemed to hover for a moment, almost as if he was unsure if he could touch me or not.

I watched his chest rise and fall. Before I could think about it, I leaned into him, my forehead resting against his bicep. “I don’t really want to talk about it.”

He nodded, letting his arms curl around my shoulders. My backpack fell to the floor as I sank into his embrace. His hold tightened, pulling me against the warmth of his body. I felt my eyes burning with tears. I really didn’t understand why I was so stressed out or why I suddenly wanted to sob.

“Hey, hey,” Roman soothed, his voice rumbling through his chest. One of his large hands settled against the middle of my spine while the other cradled the back of my skull. “Let’s get out of here, okay? Wherever you want to go.”

Sniffling, I nodded against his muscled form. My arms wanted to go around his waist, to just ignore everything Sonya said about me.

“We can go eat,” I mumbled into his shirt. “I don’t really care where.”

For a brief moment, Roman hugged me more tightly against him. I breathed in deeply, suddenly aware of the scent of him. It was a heady sort of smell, the components of which I couldn’t describe. All I knew was that he smelled amazing.

He squeezed one last time before letting go. In the next moment, he had leaned down and snatched up my backpack, slinging it over his shoulder. Then he reached out and curled his fingers around my palm. A moment later, they slipped between my own.

***

Roman went through a drive-thru at a little place not far from campus. He ordered a couple burgers and some milkshakes before heading out of town in the direction of the mountains. He kept one hand on the wheel, the other reaching out toward me.

A few minutes into the drive, I unbuckled my seatbelt and slid along the bench seat until I was leaned against him. He made a faint, happy noise before lifting his arm and settling it on the back of the seat behind me. For a moment, shyness welled up. Then I reached back and pulled his arm around me, my fingers tangling with his.

My eyes slipped over the patterns and designs inked into his skin. I traced the lines, the shapes and curves. There was a turtle with a flower in its shell on the inside of his wrist.

“These must have hurt so much,” I whispered, surprised to find my fingers caressing the outline of the turtle. “But they’re beautiful.”

Roman’s breath hitched. His pulse thrummed beneath the pads of my fingers. “Remind me to tell you about them sometime. And to show you the rest of them.”

I nuzzled against his side. “There are more?”

I sensed his smile, felt it run through me like lightning. Being close to Roman made me feel light-headed.

“You’ve got your head on the rest,” he murmured. He pressed his cheek against the top of my head. I wanted to close my eyes and just sleep there. He cleared his throat as he sat up. “Just tell me when you want to see them. But there’s no rush.”


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

_(GIF owned by mizar113 on Tumblr)_

Roman backed his truck into the parking lot at the overlook. For a moment, we just sat there, his arm curled around my shoulders, our fingers entwined. He leaned his jaw against the top of my head. My heart pulsed in my chest, calmly but still a sort of racing tempo that made me giddy.

“You know you can talk to me,” Roman said quietly. His fingers flexed, squeezing mine. “Even if you don’t feel like it right now, you can.”

I turned my head, nuzzling into the curve of his chest. I took a long, deep breath and tried to sort through my thoughts. The last thing I thought would happen when I came to Grand Mountain was that I would find somebody like Roman. I certainly wasn’t looking for any kind of relationship or whatever, but he had become a friend—like Drew or Ember or even Sonya. But there was something different about it… about him.

He made me feel giddy and warm. It was like I lit up when he was nearby.

“Sonya and I just had a… disagreement. And she hurt my feelings.”

Roman nodded, not prying any further. Silence was heavy for a split second. Then he pulled his arm from around me and popped the door open. He stepped down from the truck and turned back toward me. A smile worked its way onto his face as he reached out.

“Come here, baby girl,” he said smoothly, his voice dropping low. “Let’s eat.”

A jolt ran through my nerves, and my heart melted in my chest. He smiled at me as I moved across the bench seat and stepped down onto the truck’s runner. I let my gaze meet his, and I suddenly found myself staring into his brown eyes. His smile crinkled the corners, the early evening light turning them bright and clear.

Roman slipped his arm around my waist, tugging me close until I was flush against his body. He easily bore all my weight with one arm, walking back from the front of the truck to the tailgate. He popped it down and settled me in a perch on the edge. His smile faded, not quite disappearing, as he watched me for a moment before going back to the front to get the food.

As soon as he walked away, my heart started pounding. I could feel it in my throat and my limbs, could hear it in my ears. The strength of it made me dizzy. My nerves tingled with the memory of his touch.

He came back around the back of the truck with the food. I looked up, suddenly feeling shy, as he handed me a Styrofoam cup and sat down beside me on the tailgate. He sat the bag of burgers between us.

“Hey, Addy?” Roman said at last.

“Hmm?” I replied, already sipping on my milkshake.

He went quiet. When I looked over, he was messing with his hair nervously—pulling it back into a ponytail and letting it fall away again. I was reminded again how long his hair was. I hadn’t thought about or noticed it before, but now I couldn’t ignore how beautiful it was. There was a sudden image flashing in my mind—of him with his head pillowed in my lap, my fingers slipping through his soft hair.

“I feel kinda stupid asking this, but…”

“Yes,” I said, a small smile on my face. I had a feeling—a hope—that I knew what he was trying to say, and I wanted him to know that I wanted the same thing.

He chuckled. “You don’t even know what I was going to ask.”

I shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. “As long as you aren’t asking me to hide a body or anything or kiss a camel, I’m pretty open.”

“A camel? How… you know, I don’t want to know.” He looked down, his smile returning. “Seriously, though. Would you want to go out to dinner or something? Like a _real_ dinner.”  
Butterflies took off in my stomach. Roman was asking me out. I smiled softly. “I’d like that.”

***

As the darkness descended over the mountaintops, Roman and I climbed back into his truck and headed away from the high-traffic areas. The university had an observatory up near the highest peak. On a clear day, you could see the sunlight glinting off building’s the stark white dome. The gravel and dirt parking lot was already filling up with the cars of other people from our class.

I swept my hair up into a ponytail as we walked up to the entrance. There was a sign posted by the door that read “Turn off all handheld electronics.” I dug my phone out of my pocket and turned it off.

“I read that the blue light from the screen makes it harder to see the stars,” I said, glancing back to see him doing the same. Every time he looked down at his phone, hair fell over his shoulder and into his face, making him run a hand through it to get it back out of the way. Smiling, I reached into my backpack and pulled out another elastic band. I held it out to him with my finger and thumb.

Roman saw it and grinned. As soon as he tucked his phone into his pocket, he took the band and tucked his hair back in a knot. “Always prepared aren’t you, Addy?” Without waiting for an answer, he slipped his hand into mine. We walked in together, not quite caring about the people who were looking.

The professor spent the first hour giving us a tour of the observatory and talking through how to use the variety of computers and telescopes. Then we took another half hour to work at some of the computer stations to understand the star charts, calculations, and seasonal rotations of the constellations. It was almost midnight before we actually did any real stargazing.

“There’s no way to get you all at the telescope tonight, so we’ll be using your lab schedules to ensure that everyone has a chance to get some time in. Make sure I’ve signed off on the schedule you put together with your partner before you leave tonight.” The professor waved to the door that lead out onto the clearing around the observatory. “Take your blank charts out identify as many of the constellations as you can. Start at one of the main cardinal directions and work clockwise.”

Roman snatched up my backpack and threw it over his shoulder. “Sitting under the stars with you sounds like a great night.”

My heartbeat sped up until I didn’t think I could breathe. Roman looked down at me with his dark eyes, and I had a sudden rush of desire. I couldn’t name it or really say what I wanted, but I knew without a doubt that I _wanted_ something.

There was a flash in his brown eyes that made me think he knew exactly what I was thinking. I tried to keep my cool as he reached for my hand, the touch of his skin enough to make me feel like my nerves were on fire. He pulled me along behind him… a riptide dragging me out to sea.

Outside, people had taken up places along the edge of the clearing. Some had thought ahead enough to bring chairs or blankets. Roman and I ended up having to sit on the ground, the cold seeping in as we looked up into the sky, searching for a direction to begin with.

“Orion is easy to find,” Roman said, looking up over my shoulder. He pointed up into the Northwest sky at a triangular cluster of stars.

Smiling bemusedly, I wrapped my fingers around his wrist and moved it horizontally across the sky “It is. If you look East.”

Roman looked from me to his notes and back up at the sky. “Aren’t we facing South?”

I couldn’t help but giggle. “That doesn’t change where East is.”

After that, he followed my lead when we looked to the sky. One after the other, we mapped the stars and constellations around the outer edges of the clearing. By the time we made it all the way around, it was close to 2. Cold and grass-covered, we packed up and made our way back across the grounds to Roman’s truck.

By the time we climbed into the cab, I was shivering. Roman turned on the heater and dug around in the backseat for a sweatshirt. After a moment, he appeared with one, handing it to me as he slid behind the wheel. I breathed deeply as I slipped it over my head, happy to find that it both smelled like Roman and wasn’t entirely nasty from being in a gym bag.

I tucked my arms into the cuffs, snuggled my neck and chin down into the fabric, pulling the hood up around my ears. The sweatshirt was soft and warm, the edges of the cuffs frayed, the fabric worn. The black was no longer quite as vibrant as it had been when it was new, and the purple and gold Pirates written across the front had faded and cracked. It was clearly a loved garment.

“Oh, thank God,” I whimpered as the warmth began to sink into my bones. I curled into a ball in the seat and immediately felt sleep begin to tug at the edges of my consciousness. My eyes fluttered, the world went fuzzy, and I fell asleep with my head against Roman’s shoulder.

***

Somewhere in my dreams, I imagined that Roman was with me. That he had wrapped me up in warmth and that I could hear his voice. I couldn’t make out what he was saying, but the sound and timbre of his words reminded me of home.

“Time to wake up, baby girl,” came a voice from deep in my dreams. I sighed, curling in toward the solid warmth against my cheek.

I woke up slowly. It took a moment for me to come to my senses. When I did, I found Roman standing by my door, his brown eyes bleary.

“It’s time to get you inside,” he said, a warmth in his voice that made me grin. “Come on.”

He helped me down from the truck, my backpack over his shoulder, as he wrapped his hand around mine. The lot near Felton was full, so he’d pulled up on the curb. “I can make it,” I mumbled, moving to tug off his sweatshirt.

“I can make it,” I repeated.

Roman smiled. “Keep it,” he murmured, ignoring my pleas and walking with me toward the front entrance. At the doorway, he sat my bag on the ground and leaned in, his forehead pressed gently against mine. For a moment, his lips were a breath away from mine. A sigh would have brought us together.

“It looks better on you anyway.”

And then he was gone.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

_(GIF owned by vaniwin on Tumblr)_

“I heard you were out late last night,” Drew said as we sat in the lounge the next afternoon. He smiled brightly, his eyes bright blue.

Rolling my eyes, I sank into the cushions and tried to fight off sleep. All I wanted just then was to go back to bed and sleep for the rest of the day. Screw my afternoon classes.

“Of course you did,” I replied, yawning. “Who told you, Sonya or Roman?”

Drew reached out and shook me by the shoulder. I jolted upright. “Neither. I had hall duty and I was down here with a couple of the guys helping them out. Saw you come in.”

Sighing, I gave myself a faint slap on the cheek. “I really hate that the lab runs that late. I fell asleep in my first class this morning.”

He laughed out loud this time. “Yeah, Ro wasn’t really on it this morning either.”

As soon as he said Roman’s name, I felt warmth tingle through my limbs. I could tell I was smiling. Drew let out a deep throated chuckle.

“You two are ridiculous,” he said, stretching his arms out on the back of the sofa. “You need to get it over with.”

I covered my face with my hands, knowing I was blushing brightly. “Get what over with?”

I felt his hand settle on my shoulder. He squeezed playfully. “Make out. Bone. Whatever.”

“Oh. My. _GOD_ , Drew!” I wailed, knowing I was going even redder. I wanted to crawl under the sofa or sink into the ground. “It isn’t like that…”

“Oh, it’s like that, Addy. Trust me.”

I finally decided to say screw it. Giving up on my afternoon classes, I dragged myself down the hallway to my room. All I wanted was to shrug off my clothes, put on my softest jammies, and curl up in bed for the rest of the day. If every astronomy lab night was going to be like this, it was going to be a long semester.

When I opened my door, I caught sight of a pair of sparkly purple shorts on the floor by Sonya’s bed. I tried not to look at the pale brown hair that peeked out from beneath my roommate’s blankets. _Clearly_ , Sonya had brought over company last night. I’d just been too angry and sleepy to notice.

I grabbed my pajamas and slipped into the bathroom to change. My movements were sluggish, like I was walking through molasses. God, I was so tired. Not even the worse two-a-days training had been this bad.

By the time I came out of the bathroom, I was ready to fall over. I climbed into my bed and tugged the blankets up over my head. Sleep hit me before I hit the pillow.

Dreams swept into my thoughts. I could see a velvet sky sprinkled with stars spread out above me. Constellations moved and swirled, blinking in and out of inexistence, reappearing somewhere else and shifting into an entirely new pattern. Turtles and flowers and patterns of triangles and waves coalesced only to disappear and become something new.

I was perfectly alone. I knew it as surely as I knew my own name. Yet I could sense a presence somewhere close by. It was a calming and warm presence. It was accompanied by a voice, one that I knew so very well.

Roman’s voice curled around me. Each word burned into me and set the stars to dancing above me. I’d never felt so safe. So happy. So… loved…

A loud banging on the door woke me up. I swore, struggling to the surface of the dreams that still settled on my thoughts. All I wanted to do was to sink back down in the blankets and stay there—ignore the rest of the world and just chase the comfort that I’d felt underneath those stars. But the banging continued.

“I’m fucking coming!” I shouted, tripping over my own two feet as I staggered from the bed to the door. I was aware enough to notice that Sonya’s bed was conspicuously empty. And made.

I rubbed sleep from my eyes as I yanked the door open. “What?”

“Grumpy much, Addy?” The voice rumbled over me, sending me rushing headlong back into the dreams of being lost beneath the stars with his voice following along. Roman leaned in, bracing his weight on the forearm just above his head on the doorframe.

I found myself smiling. “Only when people wake me up.”

He smiled, but there was something like relief in his eyes. “So you were blowing off classes to sleep?”

“I barely made it through my morning classes. I needed to sleep.” Stepping back, I waved him into the room. “I don’t know how I’m going to make it through this semester if this is how those labs are going to feel.”

Without paying much attention, I hopped back up onto my bed and slipped back beneath the blankets. Roman grabbed my desk chair and plopped it down at the edge of the bed, where he promptly spun it around and sat down.

“I think that’s the worst one.” He leaned his chin on the edge of the mattress and smiled. “Is that my sweatshirt?”

I looked down, feeling my face burn with a blush. “Yeah.”

He reached out and tucked the blankets a little tighter around me. “It looks good on you.” The way he said it made my heart turn upside down. “You should definitely keep it.”

We were quiet for a while, just the two of us. Roman sat there, propping his arms on the edge of my mattress. I let my eyes trail the designs, the lines and shadows of ink that spread over his forearm and up to his bicep. The turtle on the inside of his wrist drew my attention… my fingers flexed, wanting to touch it and trace my fingertips over the curves and shades.

“You never asked me what I was doing here,” Roman teased. His black eyes glittered as he smiled.

I snuggled down beneath the blankets, moving unconsciously closer to him. For a moment, I wanted to curl against him and just settle into the warmth that radiated off him like waves.

“I figured you’d tell me eventually,” I replied, feeling a sizzle run through my veins. Somehow, I felt like I was flirting. And I wasn’t very good at that.

He grinned, and it made his eyes so bright that they looked like polished onyx. “True.”

My heart skipped a beat. “What are you doing here, Roman?”

He chuckled. “I wanted to see you.”

Roman reached over and brushed his fingers along the side of my cheek, tucking my hair behind my ear. He was surprisingly gentle for a guy as rough and tumble as him. I watched him as he looked over my face, wondering what he was looking for.

“Nothing else?”

He shook his head. His attention dipped toward my lips. I caught the hitch in his breath as I licked my lips in nervousness. A low growl rumbled in his throat. I thought I imagined it even as it ran my pulse through the roof.

I sat up, moving closer to the edge of the bed as I did. Roman’s hands settled on either side of me, his thumbs barely brushing my knees. My hair fell over one shoulder as I looked down at him, trying desperately to calm down the rapid beat of my heart.

“Roman?”

He reached up and slid his fingers into my hair, his palm settled against my cheek. “Hmm?”

Before I could stop myself, I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his. My arms curled around his neck as he tilted his head, fingers going a little tighter in my hair as he took control of the kiss. Roman’s hands came out of nowhere, slipping beneath my thighs and pulling me down into his lap. I let out a faint squeal as he held me tight against his chest, the tip of his tongue licking playfully at my lips.

It was stupid, but it felt just like it did in all of those sappy romance novels. I sighed, lips parting, welcoming the taste of his kiss. He growled, clutching me so close that I had trouble breathing. But it didn’t matter. Roman had my head spinning and my blood burning at a thousand degrees. His fingers stroked up my hips, my sides, settled on both sides of my throat.

He pulled back reluctantly, his eyes snapping with something desperate. The chair ground into my back, keeping me pinned in place against his chest, but I didn’t care. I wriggled, trying to find a more comfortable position. Roman groaned and dropped his forehead against mine, his hands moving, fingers digging into my hips and keeping me completely still.

“Don’t do that, baby girl,” he whimpered, his voice deeper than usual. “Please, God, don’t do that again.”

I’d never felt like this before. My pulse quickened; my whole body shuddered. If only he would…

“Call me that again,” I plead quietly. I didn’t recognize my own voice.

One corner of his lips tipped upward in a smirk. He slid one hand up my back, delving it into my hair to cradle my skull. I was suddenly overwhelmed by how strong he was.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Addy,” he said coolly. He tipped my head up so he could look into my eyes. His gaze was searing and heated. I wanted… I didn’t know what I wanted, only that it was him.

Gently, Roman lifted me and settled me on the edge of the bed. His hands skimmed my thighs, settling on each side of my legs. There was a faint tint of red along his cheekbones. It made him look young and vulnerable.

I looked away, ashamed that I’d given voice to the desire that was suddenly burning inside me. I’d never acted like this before. It felt alien, even as it felt wonderfully freeing.

“Did I do something wrong?”

Roughened fingers gripped my chin, forced me to meet his gaze. “No. Don’t you ever think that, Addy.” He brushed his thumb along the edge of my lips. “Trust me, baby girl.”

He smiled, and it felt as if my heart was going to burst in my chest.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

_(GIF owned by mith-gifs-wrestling on Tumblr)_

“Hey, baby girl,” Roman said as he dropped into the seat beside me in the cafeteria. He had a tray laden with food. There was so much that I couldn’t fathom how he was going to be able to eat it all.

A tingle ran through my limbs when he called me that. “Hey, Ro,” I replied, trying not to blush.

“Look at you,” came a lilting Scottish tone from my left. Drew appeared in my peripheral vision and took up the chair across the table from me. He directed his words to Roman. “All that on your plate and not a thing for Addy. You should be ashamed.”

I rolled my eyes, grinning. “I’m a big girl, Drew. I can get my own food. And for your information, I’ve already eaten.”

Black brows lifted over bright blue eyes. “Oh really?”

“Really,” I snarked. “I snuck three of Sonya’s donuts into my first class.”

Drew looked down at his watch, pointedly glancing back up at me. “That was five hours ago.”

Roman chuckled and pushed his tray so that we could both eat from it. “Don’t fight him, Addy. Just eat.”

Huffing, I grabbed a fork and dug into the food Roman offered. I wouldn’t admit how hungry I was or how absolutely broke I was. If it wasn’t for Sonya and her mysterious donuts, I probably would have gone most of the day without anything. Even though I had a meal plan, it was the end of the week, and my meals didn’t roll over until Monday morning. I was still trying to figure out how I was going to make two meals last over the weekend.

I let my head fall against Roman’s shoulder and tried to hold back the tears that were burning in the back of my eyes. Breaking down in the middle of the cafeteria was something I really wanted to avoid.

As if he could sense my discomfort, Roman reached down for my hand. Our fingers threaded together as he pulled me close enough for his lips to brush my ear. “What’s wrong?”

I blinked back the tears, doing my best to keep myself together. “Nothing,” I whispered, my voice cracking on the word. It was no good. I couldn’t lie to Roman.

To his credit, Roman didn’t pry right there. Drew didn’t say anything either, but I could tell he’d overheard. Shame rushed through me. I sighed and hid my face.

“Hey,” Roman’s voice lifted and fell. A moment later, he pulled me to my feet. Drew had somehow packed up the food that had been piled on the tray. Roman grabbed up the trays and his bag, then reached for my hand. “Come on.”

We walked in silence. Roman swept past the cashier girl with a wink and a grin… some privilege of football stars that meant they didn’t pay to take food from the cafeteria. As soon as the glass door shut behind us, Roman pulled me around the corner into one of the study rooms. He guided me onto a padded ottoman and squatted in front of me.

“What’s wrong, baby girl?” The way he said it just then, it was a soothing endearment. One that promised that there was more to this than the electric spark between us. His palms settled on my knees, almost as if the touch was keeping me anchored to the present.

I meant to just tell him I was stressed out. That my classes were getting harder and it was taking some time to adjust. But what I said instead was far more personal. It was the pure and simple truth.

The tears came harder with every word. I was homesick. Alone. So tired that I was barely sleeping. I was either eating too much or not at all, leaving me going days without something real to eat once I ran through my meal limit for the week on my plan. More than anything, I was lost. My life had been about cheer and competition. Everyone said my college career would be the same. But it wasn’t. I busted my knee and the whole world changed. I lost my friends, my future, and everything I thought I knew about myself.

I didn’t know who I was anymore.

Roman didn’t say anything at first. He just took my hands in his and squeezed my fingers while he let me cry. I was so embarrassed, so thoroughly ashamed of what I was feeling and what I’d said. If there had been a chance of something happening between Roman and me, I’d just gone and blown it.

“It’s okay,” he said at last. His thumbs gently wiped the tears from beneath my eyes, fingers tucked my hair back behind my ears. I sniffled, and he dug a napkin out of his bag. “It’s okay, baby girl.”

“Don’t call me that. Not if you don’t mean it.”

“Hey,” Roman cooed, tilting my face so that I looked at him. “I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it. You…” He stopped and looked away. I could have sworn that there was pain in his eyes.

“What, Ro? Just get it out.” I sniffled hard, gripping the ottoman until I thought my nails were going to break.

Instead of answering, he stood up, pulling me up with him. He tugged me against his warm, solid chest. I felt his breath rustle my hair as he cradled me against him, one hand on my head, the other on the base of my spine. The warmth of his body swept into me, working its way down to my bones.

He pressed a lingering kiss on my forehead. “Addy… I don’t know if you… when I think about you…” His hold on me tightened. “You’re easy to fall in love with. No matter how hard I try… I can’t stop how I feel about you. All the time.”

His words burst into my brain like a firebomb. It took a long moment for me to realize what he’d said. I closed my eyes, trying to grasp onto this moment, to remember how I felt when he told me he was falling in love with me. That’s what he said, wasn’t it?

“Roman…”

He shushed me softly. “You don’t have to say anything. And you don’t have to feel the same way. If all you want from me is to be friends, I’ll be the best goddamn friend I can be.”

“Roman,” I said again, more firmly this time. “Stop talking.”

His black eyes went wide as I grinned up at him. My heart wanted to burst out of my chest as I stood on my toes and wrapped my arms around his neck. My fingers dug into the knot of his hair, pulling free the band and letting it fall free. I curled my fingers in it as I kissed him with every ounce of feeling I had in me.

Roman growled low in his throat as he clutched me tighter. He lifted me off my feet as he smiled into the kiss. The growl turned to chuckle as he pulled away.

“So… does that mean you like me?” The smile on his face was enough to brighten the darkest of days.

“Yes,” I replied, grinning right back. “It means I like you. A lot.”

For a moment, I thought he was going to start swinging me in a circle. Instead he gently sat me on my feet without letting go of me. He dropped another kiss on my forehead before he released his hold.

“Good,” Roman purred. He was quiet for a few seconds before his face turned serious. “Is there anything I can do?”

There was no hesitation when I stepped closer, wrapping my arms around his waist and resting my cheek against his chest. He enveloped me in his arms, and I was suddenly overwhelmed with the scent of his cologne and his laundry soap. His hold was warm and soothing. Steady.

“Call me that again,” I murmured against his sweatshirt.

I felt the rumble in his chest and smiled. He leaned down and settled his lips near my ear. “Anytime, baby girl.”

***

“Hey, Addy!” I looked up to see Ember poking her head around our shared bathroom door, a grin on her face. I couldn’t help it. I jumped.

“Jesus, Ember. Scare the shit out of me, why don’t you.” I laughed anyway.

“Sorry,” she replied, slipping into the room. “There’s a cookout in the quad. Dana and I wanted you to come with us.”

I glanced over at the pile of books that I had to read. At the notes that were waiting for me to study. It was Saturday afternoon and summer would be fading fast in the mountains. After the week I’d had, it was time to take a break. Plus, it was free food.

“Sure,” I quipped brightly. “Give me a few minutes to get ready.”

Ember bopped her way out of the room, promising to come check on me if I wasn’t out on the quad in five minutes. Rolling my eyes, I pushed away from my desk and dug into my closet to find something. I finally settled on a pair of khaki shorts and a blue tunic top with some flip flops.

After sweeping my hair up into a messy ponytail, I grabbed my room key and headed out. As soon as I stepped into the hallway, I could hear the music. Apparently, there was a DJ in addition to the food. People milled around in the lobby of the dorm, but it looked like most of the party was taking place outside. Sonya was sitting on top of a table with a pretty strawberry brunette next to her. I recognized the hair.

We’d finally gotten over that fight we’d had the day Roman came over to pick me up for the first lab. Even when we hadn’t been on the best terms, she still didn’t mind me swiping donuts.

“Hey,” I called, tucking my keys into my pocket.

Sonya looked up; a donut caught between her teeth. “Hey, Aththy. Isss ish Ey’on.”

I felt my brows lift in question. The girl smiled, rolling her eyes. “Peyton Royce,” she said with a beautiful Australian accent. She had big brown eyes and a winning smile. “I’m her girlfriend.”

I glanced over at Sonya and whispered, “Sparkly shorts?”

My roommate winked and gave me a thumbs up. I giggled. “Are you a pirate pom?”

Peyton nodded, her ponytail bouncing. “Yeah. I’ve heard about you. You’re Lynwood High Addison Holloway. You’re _amazing_.”

I felt the blush. “Just Addy. And I _was_ okay. Until I blew my ACL.”

“Doesn’t matter. I’ve seen your stuff. Sonya made me watch a bunch of it. At nationals two years ago, oh my gosh… is it true that you choreographed that?”

My face burned with embarrassment. Sonya just grinned indulgently as she munched on her donut. “Yeah, I did.”

Peyton let out a squeal that could burst eardrums. “You have to come to a practice. You must meet our coach. We just lost our choreographer, and with football season starting soon, we can’t afford to be without one. I’ll text you the schedule!”

Sonya took Peyton by the hand and pulled her back, as if she was trying to get a handle on her.

“Addy!” I turned at the sound of my name—just in time to get swept up in a tangle of arms. It took a moment to realize that it was Ember and Dana. “I can’t believe you actually came to the party.”

I made a face at Ember. “Geeze, what the hell, Ember? I know how to have fun!”

Dana grinned. “What’s this I hear about you being able to dance?”


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

_(GIF owned by stellarollins on Tumblr)_

The music was so loud I knew there was no way anyone was going to get any work done. And it looked like everyone was already in the quad anyway. There were a few tents set up with tables of food and places to sit. There was a huge barrel grill streaming smoke as someone made burgers and hotdogs. Someone had set up cornhole and volleyball. Someone ran by with an old-school Super Soaker.

Dana pulled me toward the throng of people dancing in front of the DJ booth. A lot of it was music that I didn’t really listen to, but it wasn’t hard to catch the beat and start swaying and bopping along. Ember laughed and took it upon herself to show me the steps to the dances that I didn’t know.

“I can’t go anymore,” I said after a few songs, breathless and already starting to feel sweaty. “I’ve got to sit down.”

“Don’t be a spoil sport,” Dana pouted.

It was nice having fun with some girl friends. Most of my female buddies had ditched me at Lynwood the second that my knee got blown out and basically tanked the options for a continued winning streak. I waved my hands, backing out of the throng of people, tapping Ember on the back as I went.

“I’m done!” I panted, laughing even as I went. I stumbled over to one of the food tents and snagged a water from one of the coolers. My knees went weak as I leaned against a low wall, chugging down the entire bottle before sucking in a breath.

I hopped up on the wall and swung my feet back and forth. The music pounded through my veins. My head fell back, eyes closed as the afternoon sun spilled over my skin. I wanted to fall back against the grass and take a nap surrounded by the sounds and smells of the party.

A shadow fell over me. I opened one eye, feeling a grin slip across my face when I recognized Roman standing there. He crossed his arms and smiled down at me.

“Having fun, baby girl?” he queried playfully.

I sat up, propping myself up on my hands. He dropped down beside me with an _oof_. My heart skipped a beat when the bulk of him settled in beside me, an arm thrown around my shoulder to drag me into his side.

“I thought you had practice?” I mumbled, wrapping my arms around him.

Roman laughed and pressed a warm kiss against my forehead. I felt giddy when he slid his lips down to my cheek and then my jaw. He had a smile on his face that made his dark eyes turn molten. “Practice ended early.”

I giggled. “And this is the first place you come?”

“Drew texted me.” Roman hopped off the wall and reached for my hands. “And I thought it would be a good time.”

“I didn’t take you for a party kind of person, Ro,” I said playfully.

He pulled me toward him and kissed me softly on the cheek, the corner of my mouth. Roman’s bulk made me feel small and warm. “He said you were out here.”

I pushed against his solid chest, putting distance between us so I could look up at him. “So you have your buddy creeping on me?”

“That’s not…”

“I’m kidding,” I teased, standing on my toes to press a kiss to his jaw. “I’d ask you to dance, but I’m not that good.”

Roman’s fingers skimmed up my neck and tucked wisps of hair behind my ear. He was so close that I could feel the warmth radiating off him as he took me by the hand and lead me away from the heart of the party. We wound through dancers and lines of people at the food tents.

The further we went, the less the air vibrated with the sounds of music. We crossed the quad and followed the sidewalk toward the pond that nestled against the road on faculty row. Roman’s thumb skimmed over the back of my palm and along my wrist, sending shivers along my spine. My head settled against his shoulder as we walked in quiet—the only sound that of the fountain bubbling in the middle of the pond.

“I’ve been thinking,” Roman said quietly. “It’s time I took you out on a real date.”

The shivers went into overdrive. For a second, I couldn’t breathe. “I think burgers at the overlook is a real date.”

He shook his head, grinning. “While I’m happy to sit on my tailgate with you, you deserve something better than that. There’s not much around here, but there’s a nice place or two.”

“Roman, you don’t have to.”

“I know I don’t have to, baby girl. I _want_ to.” He stopped and tugged me against his chest. “What do you say? Would you like to go out with me tonight?”

I looked up at him, sure that he could hear the sound of my heart beating out of my chest. He was so handsome with his dark eyes, close trimmed beard, and warm smile. I wanted to kiss him. I wanted to hold onto him and never let go.

If I was being honest, I wanted a whole lot of things when it came to Roman Reigns. But I didn’t quite have the courage to ask for any of them.

“That’d be nice,” I said at last. Butterflies took off in my stomach as he curled his fingers along the side of my neck and pulled me closer.

The corner of his lips tipped upward in a smile as he stooped to meet me. Roman’s mouth met mine in a crushing kiss that made my pulse jump. His fingers slipped into my hair. Mine fisted in his shirt. When he pulled away, his eyes were bright.

***

“You look great, Addy,” Sonya said from the doorway of the shared bathroom. I put the finishing touches on my makeup, happy that my hands weren’t shaking. “Trust me, Roman is going to die when he sees you.”

I rolled my eyes and twirled hair around my fingers, trying to decide whether I’d put it up or leave it down. “I don’t even know where we’re going. Am I overdressed? Underdressed?”

“There’s not many places around here where you can be underdressed. And I’m pretty sure Ro would have told you if you were going to the fancy place.” Sonya disappeared from the doorway and flopped down onto her bed. “Relax. And enjoy yourself.”

I sighed, yanking the plug from my curling wand from the wall. “What if I do something wrong?”

“Roman adores you. I don’t think you _could_ do anything wrong if you tried where he’s concerned.”

Heat shot across my face. I _never_ blushed. At least, not enough where people could see. But it seemed like Roman Reigns was going to change that. I smoothed invisible wrinkles from my clothes as I stepped back into the bedroom. Sonya sat cross legged on her bed, her ever-present box of donuts at her side. She reached it out to me.

“Sugar rush for luck,” she whispered conspiratorially.

I took a glazed one, surprised to find it lemon flavored. “This is good. You should start a blog or something about donuts, Sonya. Seriously. You find the best ones every time.”

My roommate shrugged just as the knock came on the door. My heart dropped into my stomach. It was suddenly very hard to breathe. “There he is,” she squealed, hopping off the edge of the bed. Sonya put her hands on my shoulders and gave me a quick once over. Her gaze landed on my hair. “Leave it down. It’s gorgeous.”

With that, she turned me toward the door and patted me squarely on the behind. “Go get him, tiger.”

A smile of appreciation lit up my face. We may have had our ups and downs earlier, but she had become a fantastic friend. Donuts or no donuts. _Thank you_ I mouthed, wiping my sweating hands on my jeans.

_It’s now or never_ , I thought as I swept in a deep breath and pulled the door open. Roman stood on the other side looking breathtaking. His dark hair was caught back in a knot. It looked as if he’d trimmed his beard—the lines were crisp and clean, not like the sometimes everywhere growth that I’d noticed the past few weeks. He wore fitted jeans and a button down with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. I glanced at the turtle and flower tattoo on the inside of his wrist and remembered how he said there were more—and all I had to do was ask and he would show me the rest.

I glanced away, suddenly nervous at thinking about seeing Roman without his shirt. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, seemingly just as nervous as me.

“You kids go have some fun!” Sonya exclaimed, pushing me toward the door. I stumbled a few steps and ended up only inches from smacking into Roman’s very solid chest.

“Hi,” I murmured. Dear God, I wanted to just disappear. How could I spend hours in the middle of nowhere staring at the stars with this guy and yet feel so nervous at the thought of going on a date with him.

“Hey, baby girl,” he cooed, reaching out for my hand. The sound of his voice sent shivers through my body, but it also somehow calmed the anxiety that threatened to drown me. He took my hand, threading our fingers together, and pulled me gently toward him. As soon as I was across the threshold, Sonya promptly shut the door behind me.

Roman chuckled. I smiled. Warmth settled into my bones.

“So where are you taking me?” I asked, surprised that my voice wasn’t shaking.

He walked slowly, dawdling so that I didn’t have to rush to keep up with his long stride. The pressure of his hand against mine felt good. It felt like… home.

“There’s a couple movies playing at the little theater in town. And then there’s this steakhouse across the road. I know it’s not the best, but…”

“I can’t wait,” I quipped hurriedly. “As long as it’s not a slasher flick. Cheer camp traumatized me with Saw.”

Roman looked down at me, one eyebrow raised. “Saw is most definitely _not_ a slasher flick. Its trash, that’s what it is.”

The fading sun cast rays over the mountains, filtering light through the tops of trees as afternoon gave way to evening. The air had a sweet, heavy scent to it. Campus had quieted down after the quad party, the only remnant of the event the blue garbage barrels that hadn’t been cleared away yet. Roman led the way around the side of the dorm to the parking lot, never once losing his grip on my hand.

“C’mon, baby girl. Up you go,” he said playfully as he opened the passenger door of his truck. He kept his hand in mine until I’d hopped up on the runner and pulled myself into the cab. For a moment, he stood there and stared. “I could get used to this.”

Before I could say anything, Roman tucked me into the cab and shut the door. He walked around the front and swung himself up beside me with ease. I watched the way his skin and muscles moved as he turned the key and put the truck in gear. Everything he did was so fluid and graceful. I had the sudden urge to know if he looked like that on the field.

“When’s your next home game?” I asked, twisting my fingers in my lap.

He glanced over at me, reaching out his right hand for mine. “This Saturday. Why?”

I looked up at him, feeling my heart beat a thousand miles a minute. “I’d like to come, if that’s okay.”

A smile spread over his face that made his eyes light up. He tugged on my hand, pulling me against his side as we drove down the winding road that led from campus into town. “I’ll get you the best seat in the house,” he promised as he rested his cheek against the top of my head.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

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Roman wasn’t kidding when he said the theater was small. It looked barely big enough to hold one screening room let alone two. It was a brick building that looked worn down by age, but it seemed that it had been well cared for. Being the only entertainment game in town probably helped.

The inside was dim, a glass fronted counter to the left served as the concession stand. A few game systems stood against the wall to the right just beside the bathrooms. Roman guided me to the counter, one hand on the small of my back.

“You want anything?” he asked, leaning one hip against the counter. I swore I saw it scoot back half an inch.

I grinned up at him. “Popcorn is fine.”

His fingers flexed against my back just before he slid his hand away, digging in his back pocket for his wallet. “Large popcorn and two…” He glanced at me, one brow raised in confusion.

“Cherry coke, if you have it,” I said to the girl behind the counter.

She nodded. “Two cherry cokes then,” Roman finished, pushing a twenty across the glass.

He led the way into the screening room. It was longer and narrower than any theater I’d been in before. There was no balcony or stadium seats. Instead, the aisle lead downward on a gradual slope, making the front of the room lower than the back. The seats were old school theater seats with ornately carved arms and plush red velvet upholstery. This, it seemed, was the most well-kept part of the building.

“Where do you want to sit?”

I looked around. Normally, I was a near the front person. The theater near Lynwood was newer than this one. It had stadium seats and a section with a bar in the front. I always sat there so I could put my feet up.

“How about here?” I said, gesturing to the back row. When I glanced at Roman, he had a smirk on his face. I felt heat race through my face. “Not because… I didn’t mean…”

He laughed out loud. “I’m just messing with you, Addy. Back here is fine. And I promise to keep my hands to myself.”

I couldn’t help but grin. “Geeze, spoil all the fun, why don’t you.”

We settled into our seats and waited for the previews to start. I sank down into my chair and propped my feet up on the seat in front of me, hoping that no one would want to sit there. Roman stretched out his legs, fidgeting for ten or fifteen minutes before he too propped his feet up on the seat in front of him.

“Let’s hope we don’t have company in the next row,” I said as I dug my fingers into the popcorn. He’d shook some kind of flavored salt on it, and I couldn’t get enough.

“Don’t worry. This movie has been out for a week now. I’m sure we won’t have too much company.” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, a wolfish grin spreading over his face.

I rolled my eyes, trying not to choke on my popcorn. Before I could reply, the lights dimmed, and the screen lit up. Roman slipped his arm around my shoulders and sighed.

It wasn’t a slasher flick, thank goodness. Instead, he’d brought me to see an action movie. He’d seemed surprised when I’d picked this one instead of the rom com playing in the other auditorium. The appreciative nod I’d received was enough to tell me I’d surprised him. In a good way, I hoped.

By the end of the film, my bladder was bursting, and my stomach was grumbling. While I’d eaten half—okay more than half—a bucket of popcorn, I was suddenly starving. The second the credits started to roll, I’d climbed over Roman’s legs and rushed out into the lobby, making a beeline toward the bathrooms.

Roman was leaning over the counter talking to the girl at concessions when I slipped back into the lobby. They chatted like old friends. I supposed they were. It seemed that everyone who lived in the small towns around Grand Mountain University either knew each other or were related somehow.

He perked up when he heard my footsteps. When he swung around to look at me, I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest. There was something in his gaze that made my knees weak even as it made me feel invincible.

I looked away, messing with my hair to hide the nervousness at being the center of his attention.

He crossed the lobby in a few strides. The world seemed to settle back into place when he slipped his fingers along my wrist and threaded them with mine. I glanced up at him, surprised to see a faint tint of red on his cheekbones.

“Steakhouse still sound good?” he asked, his voice suddenly gruff.

I blinked, forgetting for a moment how to speak. When I got ahold of myself, I grinned up at him. “Actually, do you mind if we go to that pizza place right behind it?”

A muscle in his jaw twitched. I couldn’t tell if he wanted to smile or frown. “Whatever you want, baby girl.”

He waved to the counter girl as we walked outside. Evening had given way to twilight. The sun had disappeared behind the mountains, painting the world in hues of reds and purples. The stars struggled to break free of the black sky, twinkling above us like chips of diamond. I glanced up, grinning when I recognized a few new constellations.

“You know what,” I said suddenly. “I’m actually feeling some burgers right about now. And it’s so pretty out…”

I looked up in time to see him watching me, his face open and something like adoration shining through his gaze. The weight of that affection made me snatch in a breath. My fingers squeezed against his.

“Burgers at the overlook it is,” Roman murmured. He leaned toward me, intensity burning in his dark eyes. I could see the lights of the marquee reflected in them. It was mesmerizing.

Roman pulled me close, crushing my body against his. Every touch was gentle, but it was restrained, as if he wanted more but didn’t trust himself. When he kissed me, I swore I saw fireworks go off behind my eyelids. Heat flooded my veins as he wrapped one arm around my waist tightly. The other hand delved into my hair, wrapping strands of it around his fingers as he kissed me as if he’d never see me again.

An ache started low in my stomach. I lost myself to it as I slithered my arms around his neck, fingers tugging the tie from his hair. My fingers wrapped in his dark, wavy locks as he growled against my mouth.

The kiss ended as quickly as it began. I let out a little squeak when he pulled away. His eyes were wide and glassy, lips parted as he gasped for air. I watched his chest rise and fall, stretching the fabric of his shirt with every movement.

“Roman?” My voice sounded small to my own ears.

He watched me silently for a moment, then the corners of his mouth tipped upward. “It’s okay, Addy.” My whole body turned warm and fuzzy when he said my name. He sighed softly. “C’mon. Let’s go.”

He took a step forward and slipped his arms around my waist. I smiled as the scent of him wrapped around me. He lifted me up with one arm and carried me the few feet to the truck. I let out a squeal as he swung me around.

I rested my head against his shoulder as Roman drove to pick up our dinner. The cab filled up with the scent of grease and melted cheese, ketchup and salt. I sipped a milkshake as we drove up the mountain, the headlights of the truck sweeping over the tree line. He slipped his arm around my shoulder, his palm skimming up and down my arm.

Roman backed the truck into a spot at the overlook. He was quiet as he pulled a blanket from somewhere in the backseat. “Stay here for a second,” he said authoritatively, slipping out of the cab.

I curled up on the seat, turning to watch as Roman spread the blanket out in the bed. My heart swelled, jumping erratically in my chest as I watched him. He made me feel warm and protected. And I adored that about him.

He reappeared at my window with a grin. “Dinner time, baby girl.” He reached over me and grabbed the food, pulling me down onto the runner. We walked to the back of the truck, climbed into the bed, and wrapped up in the blanket. Roman doled out the burgers and fries as I settled in comfortably. He grinned as he balanced his burger on his knee, tugging his hair back up.

“Don’t,” I spat suddenly, my hand reaching for his wrist. “I know it probably gets in the way, but it’s pretty. You look nice with it down.”

There was no denying. Roman Reigns blushed. He ran nervous fingers through the dark black locks, but left them resting against his shoulders. The corner of his mouth quirked upward.

“No one’s ever called my hair pretty. ‘Cept my momma,” he chuckled.

“Well, it is.” I scooted closer to him, my shoulder bumping into his. I looked away, focusing on my fries.

Roman gave me a gentle nudge with his elbow. “Yours is pretty too. I like the blue.”

I shrugged. “Renegade move after I got dropped from the team. I’ve always wanted to dye my hair a weird color, but couldn’t do it on the squad. So, when I busted my knee and they replaced me, I said fuck it. Honestly, I thought my mother was going to drop dead when she saw it.”

He laughed a little louder, a little deeper. “I wish I could’ve seen you in action. The videos are great, but… there’s something about just being there.”

My lungs ached, as if they were being squeezed shut. I sucked in a breath and stammered. “I’m not… it wasn’t… the girls were… those videos… they’re cut together…” When I saw his smile getting wider, I clamped my mouth shut.

“Get used to it, Call Me Addy. You are magnificent at what you do.” I started to protest, but he held up a finger. “I know you don’t compete anymore, but you are _still_ a competitor. And I’m sure you could still kick ass.”

“Maybe.” I mumbled, munching on my fries and slurping my milkshake. “You know, Peyton Royce—Sonya’s girlfriend—she’s a pirate pom and she asked me to come to a practice. She apparently saw one of the tapes from regionals last year and invited me since they’ve just lost their choreographer.”

Roman smiled, dimples showing in his cheeks. I’d never noticed them before. “Maybe you’ll like it.”

“Maybe I’ll like watching football again,” I whispered, resting my head on his shoulder.

We ate in silence for a while, looking up at the stars as they turned above our heads. The heat of the day gave way to a balmy night. I stretched out, wedging myself in the corner of the truck bed. Roman slipped down and put his head in my lap, feet propped up on the lip of the bed. For a moment, I sat still. But when he nuzzled against my thigh and closed his eyes, I let my fingers run through the ends of his hair.

He moved, releasing the hair trapped behind his head. I smiled, feeling bolder. My nails scratched against his scalp, gently working the tangles from his thick locks. He hummed low in his throat and the vibration rumbled through his chest.

“This has been really nice, Roman,” I murmured, sliding my fingers gently along his cheek and jawline.

Roman sighed, smiling in his semi-sleep. “We should do it again.”

My heart warmed and fluttered as I leaned down to kiss his forehead. He moved before I could register it. Our lips met, awkward and sideways, but sweet. It was enough to make my pulse jump.

I shivered. _I’m falling in love with him,_ I thought… part terror and part exhilaration.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

_(GIF owned by ambreignsmemories on Tumblr)_

I thought I’d never step foot in a gym like this again. The scent in the air was the same—PVC plastic stretched over tumbling mats, chalk dust and spring oil, sweat and hairspray—but the energy was different. The Cove wasn’t the weight room and practice gym at a tier one high school. It was a state-of-the-art performance center designed to efficiently churn out champions.

The building was bigger than the actual gymnasium for the basketball team. The main entrance opened up into a foyer with offices along either side. Athletic directors, coaches, trainers… they all had glass fronted offices that looked out on their players and athletes coming and going. Directly in front of the entrance was a wall blocked off by a glass case filled with photos, banners, and trophies. There were double doors on either side of the case, leading into the lower floor.

“Can I help you?” The voice came a from a woman with long dark hair pulled back into a messy bun. She looked to be in her late thirties or early forties, but she was in such good shape it was honestly hard to tell. “If you’re looking for the student health center, it’s on the other side of campus.”

I fidgeted, tucking my hair behind my ears and plucking at the elastic around my wrist. “I’m here to see Coach Helmsley.”

She smirked. “Which one?”

“There’s more than one?” I replied, feeling like a fool. I flicked my elastic band hard enough that it stung. “I’m looking for the poms coach.”

The smirk stayed put as a pair of watery eyes surveyed me quickly. She stuck out her hand. “Nice to meet you. We don’t typically get walk-ons, but let’s see what you’ve got.”

I held up my hands, backing away a step. “No, I’m not here to try out. Peyton Royce sent me. She said she’d talked to you?”

Recognition clicked behind the coach’s eyes. “Addison Holloway.”

I nodded. God, this woman was intimidating.

A smile replaced the smirk. “Peyton’s been going on about you. I’m surprised the recruiters didn’t tell me you’d been accepted.”

She turned and walked toward a set of double doors leading into the lower gym. I rushed to follow. “GMU didn’t recruit me. I had a cheerleading scholarship to Georgia Tech, but got sidelined when I tore my ACL. I don’t compete anymore.”

I watched the coach lift her brow in question. “Still, you’ve had what… six or eight months post op? No brace. Walking fine. You never thought about trying to get back in?”

I shook my head. “Not really. No one wanted me once I got injured, Tech pulled my scholarship. By the time I was cleared to practice again, the season was over and nationals were down the toilet.”

Coach Helmsley pushed the doors open, and I got hit anew with the scent of a cheer gym. I had a sudden flash of memory, but shook my head hard to clear it away.

“That’s the high school game, Holloway. This is a whole new world.”

“Addy!” The Australian drawl pulled the vowels of my name long. I looked up to see Peyton bouncing over, her face flushed and hair stuck to her neck. “Oh, I’m so glad you decided to show up. Some of the girls have been watching your tapes…”

“Give me ten, Royce. For talking too much,” Coach Helmsley snapped. Peyton’s eyes went wide for a brief second, and then she turned and took off at a steady pace, taking the widest route around the room. “She wants you to be the new choreographer.”

“I’m sorry. I tried to tell her—”

“Don’t apologize. I’ve watched your tapes, too. And I put a call in to Lynwood yesterday.” Coach Helmsley led me toward a set of bleachers off to the side. She climbed a few steps and sat down, gesturing for me to join her. “Do you know what they said?”

My fingers went back to the elastic on my wrist, twisting it until it was so tight, I could feel my heartbeat in my fingertips. “I don’t know.”

“That you were the best athlete they’d had in years. And if you hadn’t gotten injured, you would have been NCA athlete of the year your senior season.” My gaze jumped up to hers. That was something I hadn’t expected. “There’s no doubt that you’re talented and you’ve earned your reputation. I want that reputation attached to my team, Holloway.”

It took a moment for those words to sink in. Coach Helmsley leaned forward, her gaze locked onto mine. “I’ll work with the AD to get you in and see if financial aid can float you a work study or something to compensate you. Practice is three days a week, workouts at six every weekday morning, games, and competitions. Let’s start with you taking a look at practice today. Then we’ll talk.”

She patted my knee and got up. She jumped from the bleachers and went out onto the floor where girls were spreading out the tumbling mats. Peyton jogged by on her eighth circuit and smiled. I looked up, expecting to see nothing but the ceiling. Instead, I found myself staring up at a glass-walled balcony that opened out into one of the second-floor weight rooms.

But more surprising than that was seeing the two men standing at the glass, looking down with grins on their faces. I rolled my eyes and waved up at Roman and Drew. The first crossed his arms over his chest, giving me an _I told you so_ grin. The second wiggled his fingers playfully.

***

“So… when do we get to see you in the outfit?” Drew asked from across the library table. I had a pile of books open in front of me as I worked on a history paper. He might have been working on something important, but you’d never have known by the way he kept talking.

“You don’t,” I snapped for the fifth time. “I’m doing work study with Coach Helmsley. That’s all.”

Drew stretched out—I could feel his long legs pushing their way into my space under the table—and sighed. “That’s just a shame. You’d look good in it.”

The grin on his face and the playful tone in his Scottish baroque made it less of a creepy statement than it would have been coming from someone else. I stuck out my tongue. “I’m going to tell Roman you said that.”

My companion let out a laugh that echoed through the stacks. I kicked him under the table, not wanting to get kicked out of the building. He covered his mouth with his hand to stifle the chuckles. “Oh, love. Roman’s the one who wants to see it.”

I blushed, ducking my head behind a heavy volume on political interactions between ancient Greece, Rome, and Egypt to hide from Drew’s gaze. It was just like him to remind me that he was one of my _boyfriend_ ’s best friends and that, at least a couple times, they’d talked about me when I wasn’t around.

“Roman needs to keep his mouth shut,” I hissed, mostly to myself. But I couldn’t help feeling a little exhilarated at the knowledge that he thought about me. Maybe as much as I thought of him.

***

The sun wasn’t even up over the tops of the trees when I walked into The Cove. It had been almost a year since I’d done any kind of activity more than walking or some yoga here and there. While Coach Helmsley hadn’t made any specific requests for my workout attendance, I was pretty sure she wanted to see how I compared to the other Pirate poms.

My heart turned upside down as I tied my hair up into a ponytail. The offices were empty and dark. Every step and sound echoed louder in the emptiness. I pushed through the double doors and took the stairs up to the second floor. It was a few minutes before six, but there was already a dozen or more athletes spread out in the weight room.

I found an open space out of the way and began stretching. The ache that went through my muscles and limbs felt good. There were a few spots that hurt more than they had before, but I was out of shape, so it wasn’t surprising. My knee was tight. It scared me to see the scar from my surgery stretch, the skin shiny and silver.

For a moment, I was back on that gym floor feeling my knee give out as the ligament ruptured. I felt it. I _heard_ it. I’d never felt pain like that in my life. And I hadn’t felt it again since.

I sighed, shaking my head to clear the cobwebs. It was true that it was the first time since I’d been cleared from physical therapy that I’d put my surgically repaired knee through its paces. I wasn’t quite sure where to start.

The door swished open and closed several times. I glanced up to see Roman walk in alongside his cousins, Jimmy and Jey, and Baron. He wore a pair of basketball pants and a tank top that showed off the inked patterns that snaked up his bicep and onto his chest and shoulder. I’d never had the chance to see the crisscrossing mat pattern over his deltoid and the swooping swirls and triangles that made up the hidden pieces. I wanted to follow the lines and shadows with my fingertips.

I stood, trying not to draw attention. I didn’t know what the workout was for the poms, and I didn’t want to draw Roman’s attention.

“Addy!” Peyton’s voice echoed through the weight room. I ducked my head and pulled in my shoulders. I needed to teach her how to be quiet.

She bounced toward me, the movement and the call of my name drawing Roman’s attention. I watched his face change and knew the moment he saw me. His lips tipped up into a grin. His eyes lit up. And I felt like the whole world drifted away.

He crossed the room in a few strides. In a moment, he was there, his strong, warm arms wrapped around me. He tugged me tightly against his chest and kissed me without abandon. Like he didn’t care that there were dozens of people around. And it made my head spin in the best way.

“Morning, baby girl,” he said softly, nuzzling his nose against my cheeks and leaving soft kisses on my jaw. He made a deep rumble in his chest that vibrated through me until my fingertips and toes tingled.

“Morning, Ro.”

He grinned, his hands skimming down to settle on the curve of my lower back. “I like the shorts.” He leaned around, making a show of taking peek. “A lot.”


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

_(GIF owned by romanreigns on Tumblr)_

Grand Mountain didn’t mess around when it came to football. The home side of the stadium was packed out with students, families, staff, and supporters from town. People had been tailgating in the parking lot for hours, and the scent of brats and burgers still wafted over the field.

There was a section in the front, right at the 50-yard line, filled with students decked out in purple and gold. They had banners, pom poms, vibrant felt pirate hats, and plastic hooks for hands. They called it the Captain’s Quarters, where the best and loudest of the Pirates fans sat. It was mostly seniors, but there were some underclassmen there, too. I was pretty sure it was a raffle to get in and you had to sign up.

But I didn’t need to worry about the Captain’s Quarters. No, I was tucked beneath the stands in the locker rooms in the Pirate’s Den. The football players were down the hall. It was impossible not to hear them yelling and roaring. I sat next to Peyton in the girl’s locker room with the rest of the Poms. They spent the last few minutes before the game adjusting their uniforms and making sure their hair was curled and bound with giant gold bows.

I’d spent the last month with the team, training and practicing with them as if I was one of them. Coach Helmsley had put me through my paces early on. Only when I’d been able to go through an entire practice with the Poms and keep up did she agree to let me work as a choreographer. It wasn’t a bad deal, not really. Sure, it meant that I had to get up early and might have to travel for away games, but it also meant that I was getting work study. I actually had some money coming in.

I could _actually_ afford to buy food.

“Let’s see how that choreography works out, Holloway,” Coach Helmsley said, her arms crossed over her chest. “Low key home game should be a great place to practice.”

As she walked away, I looked over at Peyton, who was grinning. “ _This_ is low key?”

She patted me on the thigh and stood up, tightening her pony. “Your moves are great. And you’ve trained us perfectly. It’s going to be great.”

***

I’d missed sitting on the sidelines of a football game. I was in a folding chair against the concrete wall, settled several feet behind the Pirates bench. The team had run by me as they came out of the Den. Roman and Drew led the charge, both looking twice as big as normal with all their gear and padding. Jimmy, Jey, and Baron were deep in the throng of players.

The last time I’d watched a football game from the sidelines, I had been on crutches with a braced knee and forced to watch my teammates perform _my_ choreography without me.

I’d forgotten how fantastic it was to be so close to the action. The sound of heavy bodies wrapped in protective gear was one that you never forgot. And truly, it was one of my favorite sounds in the world.

Thirty minutes into the first half, I was out of my seat and standing just behind the bench, shouting and clapping as they set up for a difficult play. The Pirates were fourth and fifteen and already down by a touchdown and two-point conversion. They’d been pushing hard toward their opponent’s endzone, but the Cougars had a good defensive line.

Drew was the first-string quarterback, and he’d been shouting plays at his teammates during the huddle. I could hear his angry Scottish tone from where I stood. I bounced up and down on my toes, clapping hard, cupping my hands around my mouth and shouting, “Come on, boys!”

The play slammed to a halt when Jey, the left side running back, got tackled six yards from the fourth down. Cursing and yanking his helmet off, Drew led the offense back to the bench. Roman, the lead defensive tackle, grabbed his helmet and started toward the field. As he passed by Drew, he smacked his friend hard in the chest and shrugged. Well, as much as someone can shrug wearing football pads.

Roman was a beautiful thing on the field. He was brutal and quick.

The offense was back on the field in ten minutes, Roman and his line having shut down the Cougars’ push.

***

Peyton and the Poms took the field for halftime, and I was a nervous wreck. I was terrified that it would fall flat—not because they weren’t amazing athletes, but because my choreography just wasn’t good enough. My hands were caught in a nervous knot as I watched them from the sidelines. Coach Helmsley stood a few feet away, her arms crossed over her chest, frowning as she watched the performance on the field.

It was my make or break moment. If this didn’t work, I’d be off my work study and back to square one.

When the performance was over, the Captain’s Quarters erupted with cheers and applause. The Pirates, having just come back out of the Den, whistled and called playfully as the Poms jogged off the field, bouncing their pompoms in the air and smiling. Peyton rushed over to me as soon as she could break the line, grinning from ear to ear.

Her Australian accent was thick as she hugged me tightly and squealed, “It was so good, Addy! Seriously! It was amazing!”

She squeezed me one more time before disappearing down the tunnel to the locker room.

“She’s right, baby girl,” rumbled Roman’s voice nearby. I glanced over, feeling heat rush into my face, and saw him grinning lopsidedly from the bench. His hair was tied up in a knot, and sweat streaked down his neck. “You did a great job.”

He stood up, looking taller than ever, bulky in his pads and gear. A few steps later, he was right there, towering in front of me, one arm slithering around my back to tug me in. The plastic of his protective gear dug into my flesh, and I could smell the sweat and heat coming off him. His black eyes were bright and teasing.

Roman leaned down and, in front of God and everybody, kissed me soundly on the lips. He chuckled when he drew back, watching my face go beet red. “Let’s get some pizza after the game.”

All I could do was nod, dumbstruck and dizzy with the realization that he’d just kissed me in front of an entire stadium of people. Sure, most of them probably hadn’t noticed. But he’d done it. He certainly couldn’t have staked his claim on me any more adamantly.

***

We sat across from one another at the Mom and Pop pizza place in town, a basket of breadsticks in the middle of the table. He was surrounded by an overwhelming scent of _clean_. I didn’t know if it was body wash or deodorant or cologne, but it smelled wonderful. Sharp and sweet, with a bit of mint underneath.

“Have fun at the game?” he asked a few moments after we sat down.

I felt the smile as it spread slowly over my face. “Yeah. You were great. Just… you were amazing.”

He chuckled and looked away, his cheeks turning red. Roman ran his hand over his goatee, trying to hide his smile. It was cute that I could make him blush. I wanted to do it more often.

***

“Sorry,” Roman mumbled as he unlocked the door of his apartment. “I’ve been meaning to take this over to Drew for weeks. Just let me grab it real quick.”

I nodded, following him in the door. He flicked on the light as he tucked his keys in his pocket. The apartment was small and sparse, though it was clearly lived in. To the right of the door was a wobbly-looking table with four mismatched chairs. Straight ahead was a kitchen, sectioned off from the rest of the room by a long, low counter. The left side of the room was taken up by a large TV on a black table, a Playstation on the shelf beneath, and a squishy looking couch and chair. A hallway went back deeper into the apartment. I could see one door from where I stood.

Curiosity pulled me closer. I peeked around the wall and saw another three doors in the hall. One stood open, and I could see a mirror over a narrow sink. Another, the one at the far end, stood wide open, lights on. Roman appeared as he moved around, trying to find whatever he needed for Drew. He glanced up, and I tried to slip back into the living room, but he saw me.

“Come on in, Addy,” he said, laughter in his voice. He stood at the door waving for me to join him.

I tiptoed past both closed doors and stopped just on the threshold of Roman’s bedroom. It was roomy, the walls painted a soothing sort of blue. A queen-sized bed was shoved into one corner. A desk was tucked against the other wall with a lamp, a stack of textbooks, and a half-open laptop. Instead of a regular desk chair, he had a worn high-backed armchair.

He stood at a battered wooden dresser, digging through the top drawer. On top was a framed photo of Roman with who I assumed were his parents and a few worn paperbacks. A pile of DVDs teetered on the ground beside it.

“You can sit down if you want,” he said over his shoulder, still digging through one drawer after another. He muttered to himself, swearing that he’d just had whatever it was the day before.

I slipped past him and sat gingerly on the edge of the bed. It gave beneath my weight and the scent of laundry soap and that sharp-sweet-mint that was wholly him wafted up. The urge to curl into the pillows and just breathe in the scent of him was almost more than I could manage.

He turned around, his smile slipping a little when he saw me sitting on the edge of his bed. I was reminded again how tall and broad he was as he stepped closer. My fingers gripped the edge of the mattress, suddenly afraid to move.

Roman brushed his fingers against my cheek, brushing my hair back behind my ear. I leaned into his touch, my eyes slipping closed. His thumb brushed along the curve of my cheek and the line of my jaw, soothingly warm with long, slow strokes. My heart jumped into my throat, and I suddenly was desperate to kiss him.

“Addy.” He said my name like he couldn’t believe I was there. It made butterflies take off in my stomach.

I skimmed one hand up his chest and over his shoulder, curling my fingers behind his neck. Before I could second-guess my courage, I tugged him down, meeting his mouth with my own. He let out a groan that rippled through his chest.

The hand on my cheek slipped into my hair, fingers pressing firmly and sweetly against my skull. The other leaned into the mattress, bearing his weight as he kissed me like it would be the last time. I forgot everything except the feel of his hands and the taste of his lips.

He broke away, forehead pressed against mine as he panted to catch his breath. I looked up at him and caught sight of his face, his eyes shut, cheeks flushed, brow furrowed as if he was concentrating very hard on something. Warmth spilled into my limbs, dragging me toward something I didn’t have the words to describe.

“Ro,” I murmured, brushing my lips against his gently, barely. “Kiss me like that again. Please?”

He groaned and squeezed his eyes shut tightly. His breath came in faint panting gasps. I let my nails scrape against the back of his neck as I tried to pull him closer. “Please?” I whispered again.

Roman leaned into me, pressing me back against the mattress as he kissed me. His tongue swept across my lips, demanding entrance. I sighed and wrapped my arms around his neck as he settled over me. One arm tucked beneath me and lifted me fully up onto the bed. My sandals caught on the edge of the mattress and fell off, thumping to the floor. A moment later, two other muffled bumps followed.

He gathered me against him. The heat that radiated from him made my head spin. I dug my fingers into his hair, working the knot loose and pulling the elastic free. His hair fell around us, tickling against my cheek.

Something burned through my body. It was a want more than anything I’d ever known. I returned his kiss with wild abandon, wriggling until I was pressed firmly against him. He groaned and snatched at my waist until I could feel every muscle in his chest and every expansion of his ribs as he breathed.

“Addy,” he mumbled, his mouth leaving mine and trailing down toward my ear. His beard scratched wonderfully against my throat as he kissed and nipped at the curve of my jaw. He panted against my skin, and his fingers dug into the flesh of my hip in a wonderful way.

I ran my fingers through his hair, feeling the strands slip like silk along my skin. My body was suddenly too heavy, too warm. Every nerve ending was alive and singing with sensation.

“Roman? Can I stay the night?”

He pressed his forehead against my collarbone and groaned. “Please.”


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

_(GIF owned by moxley-master on Tumblr)_

Roman’s hand skimmed over my ribs, his fingers curling around against my back, his thumbs brushing agonizingly beneath my breast. He pulled me in closer and settled his mouth against my throat. The mix of his soft, warm lips and the scratch of his beard was dizzying. I whimpered and dug my nails into his triceps, fighting to stop myself from begging him for more.

He swept his thumb against my breast and I shuddered, bottom lip caught between my teeth. He nipped at the cord of muscle on the side of my throat and wrapped his arms around me, rolling onto his back. I splayed out on top of him, knees settling on both sides of his hips. The weight and strength of his hands gripped at my waist, sliding upward to cup my ribs… so close to the tender skin that I desperately wanted him to touch.

My hair had come loose from its band and hung around my face in messy tangles. He watched me with dark eyes as I curled my fingers around his wrists, trying to tug his hands upward.

“What do you want, baby girl?” Roman murmured softly, his voice pitched low and rough. He held me tight, enough to let me know he was in control but not enough to hurt. There was something beautiful in the sweet strength he used. “Tell me.”

I looked down at him, whimpering softly, fighting the urge to roll my hips and grind against him. There was no hiding the hard on that pressed against my center. My whole body burned from the inside out.

I couldn’t breathe. The force of my desire slammed into my chest. Roman sat up, keeping his hold firmly. A moment later, his mouth was on mine again. Slow and insistent… commanding and devastating. My heart was ready to burst out of my chest.

“Use your words,” he directed, his hands sliding down and slipping underneath my shirt. They took up their previous position curled around my ribs. He scratched his thumbnails beneath the edge of my bra, pushing it up so that he could touch me skin-on-skin. Just that faint brush was enough to make me let out a whine. “Tell me what you want, Addy. I promise you, baby girl, you’ll get whatever you want.”

My shaking fingers dug into his hair while I tried to work up my courage. I wanted more than I had a right to, but I couldn’t run away from the sheer strength of it. Roman watched me fight with myself, his hold firm, his fingers swiping teasingly at my flesh, waiting for my permission. This desire in me was greater than anything I’d felt before, but there was a deep-seated certainty in me that Roman could tame it with ease.

I closed my eyes and opened my mouth to speak, to beg.

Roman flexed his fingers, squeezing me enough to get my attention. My gaze snapped to his. It was clear without him saying it. I was going to look him in the eye and beg.

“I… I don’t know… I want…” I took a breath, licked my lips. His pupils widened as he watched the path of my tongue. “I need you… I don’t care how. I just need you.”

My hips rolled on their own, grinding me down against his cock. I blushed at the sound that came out of me. “Please, Ro,” I breathed, looking him straight in the eye. “Take me… however you want… just do it.”

Roman gave me a long, slow smile that made his face light up. In an instant, he swept his hands upward, taking my shirt over my head. He groaned appreciatively as he hooked one arm around my waist, hand splayed over my ass, dragging my core against him. His other hand made quick work of unhooking my bra and tossing it over the edge of the bed.

He kept our hips pressed tight together as he nuzzled the space between my breasts. I whimpered desperately as he nipped the flesh of my breasts gently, soothing the sting away with a flick of his tongue and the lingering touch of his lips. I dug my fingers in his hair, pulling him against my skin, beyond desperate to feel his skin on mine.

As if he knew exactly what I needed, he leaned back and tugged his shirt off. I pressed my palms to his shoulders, trailed my fingers down the designs that covered the right side of his chest. He licked his lips and I lost myself.

I kissed him with everything that was burning and yearning inside me. A rumble went through his chest as he dragged me against his chest, hands in my hair and on my back and gripping hard at my ass. I bucked against him, my whole body going white hot and out of control.

Roman flipped me onto the mattress and sat up between my legs. He took his time undoing his belt and pulling it through the loops of his jeans. I watched every move, enthralled by how muscle rippled beneath his skin. He folded the belt in half in his fist and trailed the edge of it along my stomach before tossing it away. For a moment, I wondered what the snap of the leather would feel like.

The idea was lost when his fingers worked nimbly to pop the button on my jeans and drag down the zipper. “Up,” he commanded, gripping my jeans and underwear in his fists. I lifted my hips and held my legs up so he could strip them off. There was a smirk on his lips as he looked down at me. “Now, put those pretty legs up on my shoulders, baby girl.”

My skin tingled as I did as I was told. He pressed gentle kisses and gave playful nips to my calves, my knees, my thighs. He took his time stretching out on his stomach, my legs over his shoulders. Roman wrapped his arms around my thighs to hold my legs open and dipped his head. Fireworks burst along my skin as he swept his tongue up my core, lapping slowly and teasingly. I tried not to make a sound, but he seemed to know. He responded by wrapping his lips around my clit, sucking it into his mouth and flicking his tongue rapidly against it.

I squealed, my thighs quivering as I tried to snap them closed. Roman’s hold was tight and solid. He growled against my core, sending vibrations cascading through every cell of my body. He devoured me completely, every move of his mouth and flick of his tongue pushing me toward the edge of desperation. I needed this moment more than I could fathom.

His hand slithered around beneath my thigh. I shuddered as he worked one finger then two inside me. He curled them forward, fluttering against a spot that made my body go weak. My limbs tightened almost painfully and then… an explosion rattled through me. I writhed on the bed, the sensations never fading, only pushed higher and coiling tighter as Roman kept pumping his fingers into me, kept suckling on my clit until I didn’t remember my own name.

A second orgasm followed fast on the heels of the first. I whimpered, whined, finally screamed his name, my fingers somehow tightly wound in his hair.

He slipped away from me slowly. My eyes fluttered open in time to watch him lick the taste of me from his fingers. I panted, surprised at how exhaustion had settled in my limbs. And yet, that ache was still there, still pining, still desperate.

He smiled slowly as he settled my legs back onto the bed. Roman was still slotted firmly between my thighs, the denim of his jeans almost too much for my overstimulated body. He smoothed his hands over my stomach, up and around my ribs, along the outside of my thighs. The touch was calming after the riot of sensation.

Roman leaned over me, bearing his weight on his fist. “Good, but not enough, hmm?” His free hand skimmed over my cheek and down my jaw. His thumb ghosted along my collarbone. “Do you need more, Addy?”

I blushed even as I nodded vigorously. He laughed, and the sound cut straight to the seat of this desire. In a smooth move, he rolled off the bed and dug through a drawer. I watched his back flex as he stripped out of his clothes. Something ripped, then the sound of foil being crumpled.

He climbed back onto the bed and sat against the pillows. He trailed his fingers along my skin, up between my breasts, and turned my face toward him. “Come here,” he ordered, the strength in his voice turning me to jelly even as I did as he asked. I got up on my knees and crawled toward him. He drew me into a kiss that bruised my soul, picked me up, and sat me on his lap.

I cried from frustration as I felt his cock push against me. Roman swiped his thumbs beneath my eyes, wiping the tears away. “Shh, baby girl,” he soothed, lifting me up with one arm as he positioned himself with the other. He let me down gently, his cock pushing into me agonizingly slow. “I promised you, Addy. You’ll get everything you want.”

My hands settled on his shoulders as he bottomed out. I trembled in his arms, my forehead pressed against his, gaze locked with his dark black eyes. His arms were tight around me, holding me so that our skin touched everywhere possible. Roman kissed me slowly, his tongue exploring my mouth as my hips started to rock.

“That’s it,” he praised, dragging his hand through my hair, gathering it up in his fist and soothing it down my back. He bucked up into me, meeting every move of my hips. “Ride me, baby girl. Just like that.”

His head fell back, and I took the opportunity to press my mouth to his throat, licking the taste of sweat from his skin. Roman let a stream of praise and pleading spill past his lips, his body pressed to mine, his cock stretching and filling me, feeding the flame that sparked to life in my core. It bubbled up through my limbs, boiled my blood, sizzled along my nerves.

“Come for me,” he growled against my ear. “Come on my cock. Let me see that beautiful face you make again.”

I ran headlong over the edge of an abyss. My nails dug hard into his shoulders as I bucked and jerked, his hips still snapping against mine relentlessly, never losing his rhythm. The ache within me quieted, commanded into submission by Roman’s touch. I held onto him, arms wrapped around his neck as he thrust through my orgasm, his own following quickly after.

He didn’t let go, even as the sweat dried on our skin and my thighs started to burn with strain. Roman curled me against him, my head pillowed on his shoulder, his fingers drifting softly through my hair. I felt his lips ghosting over my cheek, the corner of my mouth. A heavy haze settled over me, and all I wanted was to sleep wrapped up in his gentle power.

“I promise you,” Roman whispered a while later as we lay curled beneath the blankets. I’d found my underwear, and he’d slipped me into one of his worn t-shirts. He had me wrapped up in his arms, half draped over him with my head on the center of his broad chest. “Whatever you want, you can have, Addy.”

My heart squeezed tight in my chest. Words settled on the tip of my tongue.

I didn’t have the courage to speak them.

Not yet anyway.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

_(GIF owned by romanreigns on Tumblr)_

I woke up in fits and starts. The first thing I noticed was that the bed was considerably bigger than I remembered. Then came the awareness of a scent—laundry soap and eucalyptus. It was familiar, but my faded morning brain couldn’t make sense of it. After that was the sensation of another body—a warm, bulky body—in the bed with me. It was tucked against me, one heavy arm over my lower belly. Hot, sleepy rhythmic breaths ghosted against the back of my neck. 

When I finally worked up the courage to look, something spiked through my veins at the sight of Roman’s familiar tattoos. The moment I realized where I was, memories of the night before came rushing in. They hit me with the force of a cannon as they replayed the desperation, the pleading, the sheer power of my desire for Roman and the way he seemed to know exactly what to do. Even when I didn’t have the words to ask for what I needed.

He made a faint grunt and pulled me closer. I let out a little gasp of surprise when I felt his cock pressing into my backside.

That seemed to be enough to wake him up.

“Morning, baby girl,” he said, his voice raspy and deep with sleep. Roman nuzzled his nose against the back of my neck. I sighed as he dropped little open-mouthed kisses along my throat.

“Morning, Ro,” I replied as I let myself relax against him. Part of me thought that I should be ashamed or embarrassed about the night before. But I couldn’t find either emotion, no matter how hard I tried. All I felt was peace. And something else, something that bore a four-letter label that I didn’t want to let free just yet.

He splayed his fingers over my stomach as he kissed a spot behind my ear that made me shiver. Those fingers skimmed down my thigh and, even covered in a blanket, I felt the heat from his skin. My heart jumped into my toes when he reached up and threaded our fingers together.

Roman gave a faint, playful growl in my ear. “I like waking up with you in my bed.”

Heat rushed into my veins. Feeling brave, I rolled over to face him. His hair had been tied back up in a messy knot. Sleep still blurred his black eyes, but there was a wide smile curling his lips. I ran my fingers up the tattoos on his forearm and bicep. He dipped his head toward me when I scratched my nails against his jaw. Roman was warm and solid, and I felt perfectly protected when he wrapped his arms around me tightly.

“You’re so beautiful,” he rumbled, leaning to press his lips against mine. It was a long, slow kiss that made my head swim. He curled his fingers into my hair, cradling my skull as he took my breath away. “So beautiful and… _sweet_.”

He said the word with a lopsided grin—one that made it clear that he meant more than my personality. I felt the blush creep over my cheeks as an image of Roman settled between my thighs jumped into my mind.

“Ro,” I murmured, bumping the tip of my nose with his. Before I could say another word, my stomach gave a loud grumble.

Roman laughed and threw the blankets back. “Sounds like someone’s hungry.” He dropped a kiss on the top of my head. “I’ll go make something to eat.”

He stood up on the mattress and walked down to the end before hopping off. I watched him move through the room—happy to look at the curve of his ass in his boxer briefs—as he picked up a pair of sweatpants and slipped out the door. I rolled over on my back and stretched, feeling my muscles and limbs pop and stretch wonderfully. There was a faint ache in my inner thighs, but it was a wonderful sort of ache. It reminded me of everything Roman had done the night before.

My pulse jumped, and I couldn’t help but grin. All I could think of was Roman’s touch and the way that he held me against him. I rolled out of the bed, shivering a little at the cool air. For a moment, I wanted to jump back beneath the blankets and sink into the remaining warmth of Roman’s body. But the scent of bacon pulled me toward the little kitchenette.

I tiptoed down the hallway, slid into the bathroom for a quick stop, and then continued on to the living room. There were two backpacks thrown onto the sofa that hadn’t been there the night before. It seemed his roommates had come home at some point in the night. I stopped dead in my tracks, suddenly terrified by the idea that they might have heard us. That was the last thing I needed.

Roman stood at the stove, a towel draped over his tattooed shoulder. He had a spatula in his right hand while he shook a skillet with the other. I watched him for a moment, leaning against the counter, grinning as I thought about this thing that was blooming between us.

“Hey, Reigns, what’s for break—” I heard the voice, but was too slow to move before its owner appeared in the opening to the hallway. He was just a few inches shorter than Roman, with shaggy auburn hair and blue eyes. I looked away immediately, blushing at the fact that he was wearing only a pair of basketball shorts.

“Shut it, Deano, or you’re gonna wake Addy up again.”

His roommate chuckled, and I found that I enjoyed the sound. “I think she’s already up.” I could tell he was looking at me, but I couldn’t look back. Especially since I knew I was hardly dressed.

Roman turned from the stove and caught sight of me leaning against the counter. He glanced quickly between me and his roommate and grinned. “C’mon, man. Go put a shirt on. I’ve got company.”

“My house, too, bitch,” came the replay as the other guy slipped into the kitchen and made a bee line for the coffee maker.

“Addy, this is Dean Ambrose,” Roman said with a deep-seated affection. “Dean, this is Addy.”

Dean turned toward us, leaning back against the counter and crossing his arms over his chest. He looked me over. I could _feel_ it. “Morning.”

“Hi,” I replied, feeling horribly exposed.

Dean smirked, one corner of his mouth slipping upward. A dimple popped up on his cheek. He turned his back to me and dug around in the cabinet for something. I watched his surprisingly muscled back as he poured himself a coffee.

“I’ll… I’ll be right back,” I said in a small voice. I turned on my heel and nearly ran back into the hallway. My heart raced in my chest. All I could think about was hiding. It was one thing to be half naked with Roman. It was another to have some stranger looking at me like Dean just had. There was something about how it made me feel… I couldn’t put a name on it, but I knew that it made me uncomfortable.

For some reason, I felt like crying. I swiped at my eyes as I took off toward Roman’s room. I was a few steps away when I slammed into something solid.

“Hey,” the thing said in a deep drawl. I looked up to see a guy with long curling black hair and a beard watching me.

I slipped around him and nearly dove into Roman’s room, pushing the door shut behind me. I’d known that Roman had roommates. And I expected to see them at some point. But I hadn’t planned on our first meeting being one where I was half dressed when they may or may not have heard Roman and I going at it the night before.

A few minutes later, Roman pushed the door open, balancing two plates of pancakes and bacon in one hand. He looked at me with apology in his eyes. He put the food on the bedside table and slid back into the bed beside me.

“What’s on your mind, baby girl?” he asked softly, pulling me onto his lap and tucking the blankets around us.

“I’m so embarrassed,” I replied. “They practically saw me in my underwear.”

He rested his cheek against the top of my head. “I’d have warned them you were here if I’d known you were going to look so good in my bed. I probably should’ve warned you that they were home.”

I buried my face against his chest. “What if they _heard_ us, Ro?”

His laugh vibrated against my skin. “Dean sleeps like a rock. And Seth always has his headphones on. They were probably already passed out when we got back here anyway.”

That made me feel a little better. I glanced up at him, quirking a brow. “Does it bother you that they saw me like this?”

As I watched, his face turned pink. But he skimmed his gaze over my face, searching for something. He brushed his fingers against my cheek, pushing strands of hair behind my ear. “Does it bother you?”

“Maybe?” As I let myself think about it, I realized that it was more of a shock than anything else. Cheer uniforms and bathing suits showed just as much skin—more actually—as being in my underwear and Roman’s t-shirt. “Kinda. But not as much as I thought.”

He smiled a little. “If it doesn’t bother you, it doesn’t bother me. But I can beat their asses if you want. Just so they learn a lesson.”

“And what lesson is that?” I asked, feeling a relaxed smile spread over my face.

“That they need to keep their eyes on the ground when you’re around. Because you’re mine.” He brushed his fingers along my cheek, dragging his thumb over my lips. “If you want to be.”

I fidgeted, turning sideways to straddle his lap. My arms wrapped around his neck just as he wrapped his around my waist. He tugged the hem of his shirt up, bunching it around my hips so he could splay his fingers out on the curve of my ass.

“If I didn’t before… last night definitely convinced me.” The low, purring seductive sound of my own voice surprised me.

A smug smirk settled on his mouth. “That good, huh?”

“Shut up, Ro,” I teased, my fingers digging into his hair and pulling just hard enough to get him to lean his head back. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. There was something ridiculously attractive about it. I pressed my lips against his, sighing happily when he kissed me with abandon.

Breakfast, as hungry as I was, was quickly forgotten.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

_(GIF owned by stellarollins on Tumblr)_

Drew looked up from the notebook on his lap and grunted. “Addy? You okay?”

The sound of his voice startled me awake. It was the week before Thanksgiving and the majority of the professors had decided it was time they torture us with exams and papers and projects. I’d been up late the night before working on a paper for my world history class and then had to get up early for a Poms workout. I shouldn’t have been surprised that I’d practically fallen asleep on my textbooks.

“Huh?” I asked, wiping drool off the corner of my mouth.

The big Scotsman laughed and leaned back in his chair. “You’re useless right now,” he said with a grin. “Go take a walk or something. Otherwise, we’re both going to fail psychology.”

I nodded, not quite hearing what he was saying. Standing up, I threw on my jacket and tugged gloves over my hands. A walk around the quad would do me good. That, and maybe a stop at the coffee shop. _Yeah_ , I thought, _that’ll do the trick._

The sky was gunmetal grey as I stepped out into the quad. Leftover frost tinted the grass silver. Freshly spread salt crunched under my feet on the sidewalk. The weather was calling for snow overnight. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen a good, heavy snow. Living down South made that a rare occurrence. I nearly jogged to close the distance to the student center. The cold bit at my face and slid down into my lungs.

I let out a sigh when I stepped into the warm, coffee scented air of the shop. Just the smell perked me up more than I would have thought. People were milling around, some at tables with laptops and stacks of textbooks, others curled up on mismatched furniture with containers of steaming muffins. I dropped into the line and tugged off my gloves so I could dig out my card.

“Shit,” I said under my breath, realizing too late that I’d left everything in the dorm. I didn’t even have my key to get back into the building. Or my phone to text Drew to let me in. “Shit. Shit. _Shit_.”

More than a little frustrated—and slightly embarrassed—I turned on my heel and made to jump out of the line. No coffee for me. Only a cold walk back to the dorm and an even colder wait for someone to walk by and let me in. I was paying so much attention to wallowing in pity and tugging on my gloves that I shouldered into someone waiting in the line behind me.

“God, I’m sorry! I didn’t—” Looking up, I caught sight of Roman’s dark-haired, dark-eyed roommate. The one I’d literally slammed into a few weeks ago in the hallway.

“It’s cool. Hey, I know you.” His voice was deep but with a hint of something gruff just beneath. My first thought was that it didn’t match with the way he looked.

Heat burned my cheeks. “Yeah… you’re Roman’s roommate.”

“Seth Rollins,” he said, sticking out his hand. I took it, trying not to think about how we’d first met. “Addy, right?”

I nodded. “Yeah.”

He looked from me to the coffee counter. “Change your mind?”

“Left my card in my dorm.” I rolled my eyes and tucked my fists back into my pockets. “Along with my phone _and_ my keys.”

“Coffee’s on me then.” He smiled and pulled me back into the line in front of him. “Roman would kill me otherwise.”

***

I grinned when I saw Drew pacing in front of the door. He pushed it open the second he saw me crossing the quad with a coffee cup in my hands. “Didn’t even check before you left, did ya?” he asked, dangling my keys and phone from his hands.

“I’m sorry,” I replied slipping into the building past his bulk. “But I ran into Roman’s roommate at the coffee shop and he hooked me up.”

Drew lifted a brow as he followed me back toward the lounge where our books were still spread out on one of the tables. “I’m sure the Big Dog will be happy about that.”

“Shut up, Drew. Now where’s my astronomy lab book? We’ve got an exam tonight.”

***

Roman pulled into the parking lot outside his apartment. It was almost three in the morning, and I was exhausted. While I was glad that we’d gotten our astronomy midterm over with, I needed sleep more than anything else. And I didn’t feel like driving the rest of the way back to the dorm.

He came around the truck and gathered me up in his arms, carrying me princess style inside. The television was on, and I caught sight of Dean sitting on the sofa in sweatpants and a t-shirt, his feet propped up on the coffee table. He looked up as we came inside.

“Hey, Ro,” Dean said faintly. His voice seemed to fade in and out as I fell further toward sleep. “She’s a princess now, huh?”

“Shut up,” Roman hissed back. “She’s asleep. Or close to. Any food in the fridge?”

“Yeah, there’s some pizza from last night.” For a moment, there was quiet. Then… “Dude, just put her down here and get something to eat.”

For a moment, Roman was still. Then he turned toward the sound of Dean’s voice and carried me over to the sofa. There was a heavy rustling noise just before I was settled down on cushions that were surprisingly plush and comfortable. My feet bumped into Dean’s legs, and I tucked them back close to me.

“Jesus Christ stretch out,” Dean said, a frustrated edge in his voice. He reached for my feet and, though his voice sounded upset, his fingers were gentle as he pulled my feet into his lap. His hands were warm on my toes. “Ro, get the princess here a blanket. She’s freezing.”

Dean kept his hands on my feet, rubbing my toes between his palms to work some warmth into them. Half-awake, I wriggled my toes, snuggling into the cushions. I really wanted to go crawl into Roman’s bed—I knew it was comfortable, plush, and warm. And it smelled wonderfully like Roman which made it easier to sleep.

“Here,” I heard Roman’s voice nearby. Dean’s body shifted beneath my feet and, an instant later, he was spreading a blanket over me, taking the time to tuck it around my legs. “And turn that down so she can rest.”

The sound that Dean made was halfway frustrated and halfway something like indulgence. But he moved around, the noise of the television dipped, and a peaceful calm settled over the room. I could sense Roman somewhere near my head… a sensation confirmed when his fingers slid into my hair. A faint sigh of happiness slipped past my lips as I finally drifted straight off to sleep.

***

I woke up what was probably hours later, but might have been only a few minutes. Everything was pitch black. I was disoriented for a moment, unsure of where I was. The faint ache in my hip was enough to remind me. I was curled on my side on the sofa in Roman’s apartment. I shifted, trying to take some of the pressure off. My feet bumped into something warm and solid.

“Stop wigglin’, princess,” came Dean’s sleepy voice. “Go back to sleep.”

For a moment, I stayed still. But the ache in my hips and my joints made it impossible to rest anywhere close to comfortably. Every move made me bump Dean.

“Goddamn it,” Dean said after I wiggled another two or three times. He pulled himself from beneath my feet and stood up.

The next thing I knew, I was being lifted up. It wasn’t the gentle carry of Roman. Dean had leaned over and picked me up around the waist, practically putting me over his shoulder like I was a sack of potatoes. I had a clear view of Dean’s broad back as he carried me down the hall to Roman’s room. While I expected a hard drop onto the mattress, he squatted down and sat me on the edge before easing me sideways.

“Go to sleep,” he said gruffly.

***

I woke up alone, clearly in Roman’s bed, still in my clothes from the night before. My head swam, desperate for something to drink. Grunting, running my hands through my hair to take care of the knots, I padded down the hallway. The door that I figured belonged to Seth was closed tight. The next was wide open. But I could see into the living room, and both Dean and Roman were still there. The former was stretched out on the sofa where I had started out the night. The latter was sprawled in the chair, arms and legs hanging off the edges. His head was dropped back in a ridiculously uncomfortable position.

Grinning, I made my way to the kitchen and started a pot of coffee. Then I went to dig around in the fridge to find something to eat. I grabbed a carton of eggs, and found everything I needed to make scrambled eggs. Some of the weariness of the night before began to fade away at the scent of fresh coffee.

Moment by moment, the apartment filled with the sounds of people waking. There was a groan and a loud thump. When I turned around, Dean was getting to his feet after having fallen into the floor. He was bleary eyed, his auburn hair sticking up at odd angles. There was a red mark on his cheek from how he slept.

“Morning, Dean,” I said just loud enough to get his attention. He stumbled into the kitchen, making a bee line for the coffee maker. “Do you like scrambled eggs?”

A grunt was his only response. At least until he was halfway through a cup of black coffee. “Princess can cook, huh?”

“When she has enough to work with, yes. But right now, she’s only got eggs.”

Dean slipped around behind me to get to the fridge. He dug around for a minute and pulled out an almost empty bag of shredded cheddar cheese, microwavable bacon, and a slightly questionable Tupperware container of chopped vegetables. “Enough to work with?”

“Those,” I said, pointing at the container, “look like they’d kill us. But the rest… I can manage.”

He grunted again, snatching up his coffee cup and the Tupperware. As he walked back toward the living room, he tossed the container into the garbage. “Call me when breakfast’s ready, princess,” Dean said over his shoulder.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

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I leaned against the side of my car, bundled in the oversized Pirates sweatshirt that Roman had given me that first night at the observatory. He was dressed in a fleece pullover and jeans as if the cold barely bothered him. He grinned as he tugged me closer, wrapping me tightly in his arms. Warmth settled into my limbs and took root in my chest.

Roman kissed me gently. “I’ve missed you.”

I grinned back, winding my arms around his neck. “I missed you, too.” Even though Roman radiated heat, I couldn’t help but shiver. “But can we please go inside?”

He laughed and tucked me against his side, snatching my bag and throwing it over his shoulder as he led the way into his apartment. I let out a sigh of relief when the door shut behind us, engulfing me in warmth. Dean was sitting on the sofa, beer in one hand, remote in the other. Seth was in the kitchen, pulling a cup from the cabinet.

“Coffee!” I whimpered, disentangling myself from Roman and dashing toward where his roommate stood. “Dear God, Seth, gimme!”

He laughed and grinned as he poured a cup. I noticed for the first time that there was a slight gap between his front teeth. Bouncing on the balls of my feet, I watched him add caramel-flavored creamer before he pressed it into my hands. I wrapped my fingers around the cup and held it under my face.

“Ah,” I sighed after the first sip. “That’s the good stuff.”

Seth held his own cup aloft in salute and squeezed by me, dropping into the empty chair in the living room. I followed behind and found that Roman had sprawled on the unoccupied end of the sofa. He slapped the cushion beside him.

I sank into the space between Roman and Dean. With one on each side, it was wonderfully warm. I wriggled down into the cushions and looked over, scowling.

“Hello to you too, Dean,” I said tartly.

He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye and grunted. “Hi,” he replied, almost as if he didn’t want to talk to me.

I was surprised to find that it hurt. I turned toward Roman and Seth, brows raised in question. They both shrugged. Feeling suddenly out of place, I sighed and stood up. “Thanks for the coffee, Seth. It was a long drive. I’m going to go lie down, that okay, Ro?”

Roman’s hand settled on the curve of my hip, squeezing gently as I walked by. “Of course, baby girl. Want me to come with?”

I shook my head, realizing that Dean hadn’t even looked at me—not really—since I walked in. “No, I’m good.”

By the time I’d kicked off my shoes and slipped beneath the thick comforter of Roman’s bed, I was holding back tears that I didn’t understand. Before today, Dean and I had gotten along well. Or I thought we had. We’d watched movies with Roman, gone out to eat and hiking with him. Now it seemed that he couldn’t stand the sight of me.

I couldn’t understand why the thought made me want to cry. He was Roman’s friend, not mine. He didn’t have to like me. Maybe it bothered him that I was in their apartment all the time. But the idea that he wanted me to go away made my chest ache in a way that frightened me. I liked Dean. He was funny and irreverent and cocky. He made me laugh, particularly when he called me _princess_.

I rolled over, burying my face in Roman’s pillows as I sobbed quietly, suddenly terrified of never hearing him call me that again.

***

“Do you like boxing? Like MMA fighting?” Roman asked a few days later as we walked out of The Cove after a workout.

“It’s okay. I’ve never been a huge fan. Why?” I climbed into the cab of his truck, glad that I didn’t have to walk back across campus to my dorm in the cold.

Roman grinned as he climbed into the driver’s seat. “I’m going to a fight tonight and thought you might want to go.”

That caught me off guard. “Why?”

He shrugged and headed around the outside of campus toward Felton Hall. “Because Dean’s fighting.”

“Oh.” It was all I could say. It had been a few days since the last time I’d been to the apartment. And when I was, Dean stayed in his room with the door shut.

“You might have fun,” Roman pushed. “And I’m sure Deano would appreciate the support.”

For a moment, I stayed quiet. It seemed that he was blind to the growing unease that simmered between Dean and me. I leaned my head against the window and sighed. “I doubt Dean wants me there.”

Roman pulled into a spot next to my dorm. He turned in his seat and took my hand in his, tugging me close. “He’s moody lately, baby girl. But he likes you, and it would mean something to him if you were there.”

He looked at me with such openness in his eyes that I couldn’t help but agree.

***

Roman led me by the hand through a maze of steel chairs to a row of bleachers that were pushed up against a wall. There was an 8-sided cage set up in the middle of the gym that looked like it would be the most painful thing in the world to run into. The feeling in the gym was electric. While I’d watched a fight or two during bus travel with the team in high school, I’d never really sought out one.

Our seats were at the top of the bleachers. Roman said there were only two good places to sit at an event like this—high enough to see into the cage or close enough to see through it. I had to admit, it seemed like it would be easy to see what was going on. But I wasn’t entirely sure that I wanted to. I didn’t know much about MMA, but I’d seen enough fistfights to know that this wasn’t something I wanted to see close up.

Dean’s fight was first. His opponent was a good foot taller than him and an easy hundred pounds heavier. I didn’t want to imagine what he might do to Dean by the time the fight was over. My heart jumped into my throat when Dean walked out and climbed into the cage. He looked angry as he bounced up and down, rocking his shoulders.

“He’s going to get hurt,” I gasped, snatching at Roman’s hands. “He can’t fight that guy!”

Roman cradled my head and pressed a kiss to my temple. “I promise… Dean can handle himself.”

A bell rang and Dean shot across the cage, launching himself at his opponent. He landed a flurry of blows only to have himself shoved back with a hard right on the jaw. I watched, desperate as the two men exchanged punches and kicks and blows that must have ached from the moment they landed.

I felt sick when, at the end of the first round, blood bloomed from a cut over Dean’s eye. “Ro,” I pled, knowing I looked half-terrified. “Please… stop this.”

But there was no time, even if Roman had wanted to. The second round began more brutal than the first. I hid my face for half of it, feeling my heart turning upside down and my stomach tying itself in knots. I couldn’t make myself look. I didn’t want to see Dean bruised and bloody.

It took almost half an hour for the fight to end. When the bell rang at last, I looked up to see Dean standing over his opponent. It was over, he had won, but he had a bruise blooming on his jaw, a busted lip, and the cut over his eye still oozed blood. He had one arm wrapped tight around his midsection. But he was grinning, his blue eyes bright and wide even from a distance.

I didn’t even look at Roman. Terror and adrenaline warred in my veins, making my heart beat faster than it ever had before. I felt sick and dizzy, but I took off, bounding down the bleachers and pushing my way through the people around the outside of the cage. I just had to see… I had to get close enough to know that he was okay… that’s all it was…

“Dean!” His name was out of my mouth before I could think. My fingers wound into the cage links so hard that they went white. “Dean!”

As soon as he heard his name, he looked down. For an instant, the only expression on his face was rage. Then, it softened. Not quite happy to see me, but not completely cold either.

I sniffled, aware for the first time that I was crying. “Dean?” My voice came out small and broken. I knew I looked like an overdramatic fool. I blinked away the tears and tried to make my fingers let go.

_He’s okay_ , I thought deliberately. That’s what I’d wanted to know after all. He probably wasn’t happy that I’d acted like an idiot during his fight. He was probably embarrassed by me.

“Hey, princess,” came Dean’s voice from close by. I looked up and saw him right a few inches away, just on the other side of the cage. Up close, the bruises and scrapes and cuts looked even worse. I tried to breathe, but choked on my own tears. I hated the idea that he was in pain.

“Dean…” I reached through the cage, as far as my fingers could go. Velcro ripped as he pulled off one of his gloves, knelt, and threaded his fingers with mine.

He smiled, surprising the both of us by pressing a hurried kiss on my fingertips. “I’m okay, princess. I’m okay.”

There was something new and bright in his eyes. Something I’d never seen there before. It terrified me even as it warmed me to my core.

He glanced up. I followed his gaze to where Roman still sat up at the top of the bleachers. He watched us with a faint, slightly indulgent smile.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

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I didn’t go back to the bleachers. Instead, I went straight to the bathroom and stayed there until I could get my racing heart under control. My thoughts were so jumbled that I couldn’t make sense of them. I’d been so terrified when I’d watched Dean fighting, and I was relieved beyond measure that he was okay at the end of it.

But I couldn’t explain the way that Dean had looked at me and the way that it made my heart skip all the way to my toes. I stood at the sink, splashing cold water on my face, trying to clear my head. I couldn’t understand the way I suddenly couldn’t imagine the thought of not seeing Dean Ambrose again or how seeing him smile at me, even covered in blood and bruises, made me desperately happy.

_This can’t be happening_ , I cursed, staring at myself in the mirror. _Not to Ro. And not_ with _Dean_.

I stayed in the bathroom as long as I dared. When I finally came out, Roman was leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest.

“Ro… I…” The words got stuck in my throat. I thought I was going to choke on them. Especially when Roman was looking at me with such openness in his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

He gathered me up in his arms, enveloping me in the strength of them. He rested his cheek against the top of my head as he breathed in the scent of me. “It’s okay, Addy,” he murmured against my hair. “You haven’t done anything wrong.”

Before I could speak again, he drew away and held me by the shoulders. Roman smiled and lifted one hand to wipe the tears from my cheeks. “Come with me.”

He took me by the hand and led the way down a hallway that emptied out into what looked like a locker room. Roman looked around for a moment before finding what he was looking for. It didn’t take me long to realize he was looking for Dean.

“Roman,” I whimpered, afraid of seeing Dean again with him so close. I knew that he’d seen what happened at the cage. That he could see the truth of it in my eyes.

“Addy,” he said, stooping so that he could look me in the eye. He brushed his fingers against my cheek. “I know that you’ve got to be feeling confused. And I’m telling you… it’s okay.”

The words slammed into me, shocking the breath out of my lungs. “It isn’t… it’s… it’s wrong…” I gripped the front of his shirt, feeling frantic. “I want you… I want to be with you…”

He cupped my face in his palms, making me look up at him. “Baby girl, I know.” He dipped his head and kissed me softly. As if it was enough to calm the fears now burning in my heart. “Trust me with this, okay?”

I nodded and let him pull me over to where Dean stood, leaning back against a wall of lockers and watching. Roman squeezed my fingers as we got closer.

Dean smiled at Roman over my head, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. And it faded entirely when he looked at me. “Hey, princess,” he said quietly. “Did you enjoy the fight?”

“No!” I yelped, my gaze raking over his face, taking stock once again of the bumps and bruises. Before I could stop myself, I reached for him, my fingertips ghosting over the bruise on his jaw and his busted lip. My throat constricted, the tears starting again. “How could I enjoy watching you get hurt? Dean…”

Even though my vision was blurry, I saw the way his blue eyes brightened just a little. “It’s nothing. I’ve had worse.”

“Don’t say that, please.” I couldn’t stop crying. I looked back and forth between Dean and Roman, confused and feeling my heart break in my chest. “Ro, why are you doing this to me? It’s cruel.”

“Because I asked him to,” Dean said quietly.

I turned back to him, feeling my heart sink into my chest. “Why? Why the hell would you be so vindictive? I thought we were friends.”

“I don’t want to be your friend, Addy.”

The words cut to the bone. They stabbed straight into my heart and sliced it to ribbons. For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. In the next, anger boiled through my veins. I balled up my fist and pounded on his chest, no longer caring that it might hurt him. My heart was breaking, and I couldn’t understand why.

Dean stood there, not flinching as I hit him as hard as I could. Instead, he put his arms around me and lifted me off my feet. A moment later, he kissed me. I could taste blood and sweat on his lips. That was all it took to bring me back to my senses. I shoved against his chest.

When I was finally put back on my feet, I backed away, holding my fingers to my mouth in surprise. I looked back at Roman, only to find him watching the whole thing with a calm expression. I couldn’t understand it. Why did he just stand there? Why didn’t he say something? Why didn’t he look angry?

“What’s wrong with you?” I hissed at Roman. “Why are you acting like… this… this is _normal?_ I’m supposed to be your girlfriend and your best friend kissed me right in front of you!”

Roman closed the space between us with slow, deliberate movements. “How do you feel about Dean?”

“Excuse me?” Dizziness swept over me. I swayed on my feet, plopping down on a nearby bench.

He crouched in front of me, his fingers coming to rest on my knee. His dark eyes were open and honest. There wasn’t anything malicious or afraid in his gaze as he looked at me. “I saw you today, Addy. I saw how terrified you were when Dean was in that fight. You begged me to get him out of there. Why did you do that?”

“Because it’s Dean! I can’t… I don’t want…” I gasped a breath and nearly choked on realization. “I can’t stand the thought of him getting hurt.”

“Why?” Dean asked softly, drawing my attention from Roman. “Why does it bother you?”

My palm brushed against his cheek, trying not to press against the bruise. “I don’t know. Because it’s you… because I’m afraid that something will happen, that I’ll never see you again, or that you won’t call me _princess_ anymore. I…” I cursed inwardly as I started crying again.

Roman cradled the back of my head in his palm, thumb stroking my hair. “Because you love him, too.”

I wanted to argue and tell him he was wrong. If there was anyone that I loved, it was him. He was the one I wanted. But I couldn’t. No matter how much I wanted to fight, I couldn’t. Because it was true.

My heart sank into my stomach as I looked at Roman. “I’m sorry, Ro. I’m so sorry.”

Whatever I expected, it wasn’t for him to smile and kiss me gently. It wasn’t for him to look me in the eye and say, “Don’t be. He’s easy to love.” The smile faded just a little. “If you need some time… to figure things out…”

“Or… option number two,” Dean said smoothly. “You don’t have to pick.”

Roman reached out and smacked him hard in the midsection. “I wasn’t going to lead with that.”

“Look, princess,” Dean said, kneeling in front of me, “I don’t want to be your friend. I want from you what you and Ro have.”

I looked between the two of them, not quiet comprehending what was happening. “You’re okay with this?”

“If it’s what you want, I’m willing to give it a try,” Roman replied. “And I don’t care what people say about us. As long as you two are honest with me… as long as you’re happy…”

“Are _you_ going to be happy?” Dean asked.

Roman’s smile was bright and genuine as he looked between the two of us. “Yeah. And if I’m not, we’ll talk about it.”

***

I walked into the dorm in a daze, not sure what just happened. Sonya sat on her bed, her ever-present box of donuts on the mattress beside her. She grinned at me and held out the box. “Good break, Addy?”

I plopped down in the chair at her bedside. “I don’t know how to explain it, Sonya.”

“Oh, that sounds interesting.” She sat up straighter, dangling her feet over the edge of the bed. “Tell me everything.”

Everything? Even I didn’t know everything.

“I think I’m dating Roman _and_ his roommate, Dean.”


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

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Sonya pulled a jacket out of her closet and held it out to me. “What about this?”

I stepped out of the bathroom we shared with our suite mates; my hair still wrapped around the curling wand. The jacket was made of short, black leather with a silver buckled belt on the waist. “You don’t think it’s too much?”

She draped it over the side of my bed. “Nah,” she replied looking over the rest of my outfit. “I’ve got some really nice boots that might look good, too.”

“Sonya, I’m not…” I caught myself before I said something I would regret. “Are you sure I’m not trying to do too much?”

“Addy, sweetheart,” she said, taking the curling wand from my hand. She swatted me out of the way as she took over my hair. “I’ve known Dean Ambrose practically as long as I’ve known Roman. Trust me.”

While she finished curling and styling my hair, I put the finishing touches on my makeup. Things had been easy and natural with Roman. With Dean… I didn’t know how it was going to go. It felt like I was putting way too much effort into it.

Twenty minutes later, I was standing in front of the mirror in a pair of strategically shredded straight legged jeans, a burgundy tank top, Sonya’s jacket and a pair of white wedged sneakers. My hair was curled and twisted into a high ponytail. My makeup was just dramatic enough o set off my eyes and cheekbones, but not so much that it made me look different.

“I feel so weird,” I huffed to Sonya one last time. She stuffed my phone, my keys, my ID, and some cash into a wristlet purse and tucked it into my hand.

She waved me into silence. “You look hot. And Dean is gonna die when he sees you.”

***

I paced the lounge in the dorm, clutching Sonya’s loaned purse in my fingers. Dean was supposed to pick me up at eight and the clock was ticking fast toward it. I leaned against the wall near where Drew was sitting with Nya Jax, one of the girls who lived on the third floor. He let out a low whistle when he saw me.

“Roman’s going to have fits,” the Scotsman said when he looked me up and down. “You look good, Addy.”

“Thanks, Drew, but… um…” I tucked my hair behind my ears nervously. “I’m…”

Nya chuckled and jerked her head toward the door. “I don’t think she’s dressed like that for Roman.”

I looked up and caught sight of Dean waiting in the quad. He was in a pair of well-tailored jeans, a fitted black Henley, and a thick, warm looking leather jacket. There was a grey beanie tugged over his auburn hair. There was a grin on his face as I waved goodnight to Drew and Nya.

The wind bit into me as I hurried out the door toward him. His grin got bigger as he crossed toward me with determination in his step. The moment I was within reach, he pulled me against his chest and slipped his fingers around the back of my neck, tilting my head to his liking as he kissed me as if was a perfectly normal thing to do.

“Hey there, princess,” he said, his voice deep and gruff. Dean stroked his thumb against my jaw. His denim blue eyes searched my face. “Come on, let’s get you somewhere warm.”

Dean tucked me against his side and walked quickly toward the parking lot beside Felton Hall. He walked straight to a matte grey Chevy and opened the door. I didn’t know anything about cars, but I could tell that it was old and in pretty good condition. Dean smiled nervously as I slid inside, careful not to touch anything.

He slid into the driver’s side and started the engine. It roared to life as he pulled out of the lot. He drove slowly down the street that circled the outside of the campus, his fingers twitching on the gearshift as if he couldn’t wait to open it up.

A moment later, he pulled out onto the main street. The engine growled as he hit the gas, tearing off town the mountain road toward town. We drove in silence for a while. I looked down at my clutched hands, thinking that maybe this whole thing was a bad idea. They were wrong about this. It wasn’t what they thought it was.

Dean pulled his beanie off and ran his hand through his fluffed hair. I watched him from the corner of my eye, wondering what he was thinking. “You look nice tonight,” I said quietly, not sure if he cared.

His lips tipped upward in a lopsided smile. In the dim light, I could see a faint blush run over his cheeks. “You’re beautiful,” he replied. “All the time.”

I caught my bottom lip between my teeth and looked away, suddenly shy under his attention. He reached over and took my hand, his fingers warm and calloused against mine. Time ticked by slowly and bought with it a sense of calm and ease.

“What kind of car is this?” I asked after a while. The sound of the engine purred against my eardrums, soothing me almost into a sleep-like stupor. I snuggled down into the leather seat and turned my head toward him.

He flexed his hand on the steering wheel. “Camaro. 1967.” The words came out matter of fact, as if that was the end of the conversation.

I sighed and looked out the windshield. “Where are we going?”

Dean’s body visibly relaxed. “There’s a pub downtown. Thought you might like something different than a traditional _jock style_ date.”

I grinned as I turned toward him. “So you think Ro does jock dates?”

He grinned broadly in response. “Let me guess… burgers on the tailgate at the lookout?” I nodded reluctantly. “Movies and the steakhouse? And… the pizza joint?”

“Two for three, Ambrose,” I said, shaking my head sadly. “We’ve never been to the steakhouse.”

“Ro’s slacking, then. That’s clear first date material for a jock.” His words were harsh, but teasing. I’d known him long enough to know that Roman was his best friend. Teasing and ragging on each other was their love language.

I felt my mouth curve into a smirk. “And what kind are you?”

We pulled up to a stoplight and he turned fully toward me. His eyes were a dark blue that bordered on gunmetal when he grinned. “The one your momma warned you about.”

“Then why am I on a date with you?”

He revved the engine, pulling out the moment the light turned green. “Because you’re the kinda girl who doesn’t listen to her momma.”

***

The pub was a dimly lit hole in the wall sort of place that you would find somewhere in Europe. A long, well-polished bar stretched down one side, mismatched stools lining up along it. The other side of the room had a row of booths separated by antique looking stained glass dividers. A dart board hung on the back wall in the center of a green foam block to protect the wall from stray throws. There was a pool table in the center of the room beneath an old-fashioned style ceiling lamp. Dean led the way to one of the booths near the back, his hand tight on mine as we went.

He stood aside and let me slide onto the bench. Then, instead of taking the seat on the opposite side of the table, he plopped into place next to me. I was clearly and desperately aware of how warm he was, how the stubble on his cheek was a mix of auburn and brown and blond, and how his cologne smelled like something spicy and sharp. He tucked an arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his side.

“So… what’s your poison, princess?” he queried, pulling a menu in front of him. He flipped straight to the drink list. “They don’t have many of those fruity cocktail things here.”

I let my eyes walk down the list. Alcohol had never really been my thing. My parents never really had a ban against it, and I’m sure they wouldn’t have gotten upset if I had gotten smashed at home, but I’d never had more than a mixed drink before. A margarita at best. A daiquiri or two.

I tried to convince myself to try _something_. It seemed like the thing to do. Dean had brought me here for a reason. I’d known almost as long as I’d known him that Dean was one of those guys who drank every now and then. And it shouldn’t have surprised me that he’d get a drink on our date. But I couldn’t quite bring myself to order anything—truth be told, I wasn’t much inclined to it.

A waitress stopped at our table. She looked vaguely familiar with long blonde hair died pink at the ends. I tried desperately to figure out where I knew her from. “Can I get y’all something to drink?”

Dean looked at me first. I licked my lips and took a breath. “Coke… or Pepsi. Whichever you have.”

He raised a brow and smirked. “You want anything in that?”

I looked him in his teasing blue eyes, feeling the knot of nervousness release in my chest. “Ice. And a cherry.”

The laugh that dropped out of him made me feel bright on the inside. His eyes crinkled as his smirk turned into a grin and then a smile. “I’ll have the same,” he said, not looking away from me. “But put some Jack in mine.”

The waitress nodded her understanding and bobbed off to the bar. Dean nudged me gently with his forehead. “You’re one of those straight edge types, aren’t you? Like Seth.” My expression must have let him know I wasn’t familiar with the categorization. “You know, no alcohol, no drugs, that sort of thing.”

I nodded in understanding. “Well, definitely on the no drugs side. But I’m not against alcohol. I just don’t drink it much. And definitely _not_ on a first date, Dean Ambrose.”

***

Dean grinned easily. It was something that I’d noticed about him early on. And when he smiled— _actually_ smiled—it was breathtaking. He was easy to be around. But he was intense in a way that made me think thoughts that made my heart race.

“Like this, look,” he said as we stood six or seven feet from the dart board. Dean stood behind me, holding a bundle of darts in one fist and settling the fingers of his other hand on my wrist. He pulled my hand up in near alignment with my eye line. “You’ve got to line it up. And don’t let go so late. They’re gonna make me pay for the gouges in the floor.”

He’d convinced me to play darts and, when he’d quickly realized I had no idea what to do, had resolved to teach me. We’d been at it for half an hour, but I was no closer to hitting the bullseye than I had been at the beginning. But he seemed to like teaching. Or maybe he liked the fact that he was pressed up against me, his chest slotting firmly against my back.

“I’m done,” I said breathily, slapping my free hand on his forearm. “I’m tapping out. If you’re so good at it, then you do it.”

He smirked in a devilish sort of way. “What’s in it for me?”

“What do you want?” The words were out before I could stop myself. The twinkle in his eyes was a clear indication that I’d made a very bad decision.

Dean leaned close to my ear and dropped a teasing, lingering kiss on the side of my throat. “Five minutes of making out for every bullseye.”

I watched him carefully for a moment, deciding whether I was willing to take that bet. He’d thrown a few shots earlier and had hit the target, but nowhere near the center. His last drink had been over an hour ago, so I couldn’t count on alcohol messing with his aim. And honestly, as much as I tried to convince myself that I was taking the bet because I was sure he’d lose it… I desperately wanted him to win it.

“Done.”

His brows lifted toward his hairline, clearly surprised that I’d taken the bait. “All right then.”

He wriggled his shoulders, warming up exactly as I’d seen him do in the cage. He took a deep breath and let it out then, one by one, threw the darts in his fist.

And one by one… two, three, four, five, six… they lodged in the bullseye. The first two shots fell out when the third landed, to which he was quick to shout, “Those still count!”


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

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Dean threaded our fingers together as we left the pub, grinning as we walked across the lot to his car. The bet we’d made on his skills at darts still hung heavy between us. It seemed like that was on his mind as he turned the corner of the building and pulled me close against him, his back pressed against the brick wall.

“Did you have a good time?” he asked, his voice dropping an octave or two. His hands were settled on my waist. His thumbs stroked long, slow lines against the base of my ribs.

I tilted my face up to look at him, surprised by the seriousness in his eyes. “Yes,” I replied, the word coming out softly. My palms settled against his chest, just beneath the edges of his leather jacket. He was warm and solid.

“Good,” Dean purred, leaning down. One hand came up to cup my cheek, fingertips sliding along the back of my neck, thumb settled against the soft spot beneath my jaw. He watched me for a moment, then dipped his head and pressed his mouth against mine.

There wasn’t anything gentle about Dean Ambrose’s kiss. It was full and demanding and desperate, his tongue sweeping along the curve of my lips and demanding entrance. He slid his free arm around my back and tugged me tighter against him, making me gasp. Dean took the opportunity and deepened the kiss.

My fingers fisted in his shirt. It felt like the world was tilting sideways and the only thing that was keeping me on my feet was Dean. Time slipped by like molasses. All I knew was the taste of his lips and the touch of his hands.

When he pulled away, his blue eyes were dark, his pupils wide. “That was one,” he growled against my lips. “I’ve still got twenty-nine more, princess.”

***

“Come inside,” I said as Dean put the car in park in the lot next to the dorm. “You don’t have to go home yet.”

Dean smiled and reached over, brushing his fingers through my hair, tucking it behind my ear. “Really?”

I rolled my eyes. “To the lounge. Not my bedroom.”

He shrugged. “That’s what you say now.”

Still, he cut the engine and the night went quiet. He watched me a moment before getting out of the car and circling around to my side. We walked into the building, and I was glad to see that the lounge was empty. The big screen over the fireplace still played ESPN, but otherwise the bottom floor was quiet.

Dean sat on my favorite sofa and held out his hand for me. Happily, I kicked off my shoes and curled up next to him, my head pillowed on his shoulder. “I really had a nice time tonight, Dean,” I said softly.

He kissed me on the top of the head, and I could feel him smiling. “I’m glad, princess,” he replied, his voice low and soothing. “Not just about tonight. I’m glad you decided to take a chance on me.”

I took his hand in mine, happy to find that our fingers fit together. His were calloused and beaten, nicked and cut up from fighting, but they were just made to settle with mine. “I don’t think you guys gave me a choice,” I said faintly. “But I’m glad it happened how it did.”

Dean sighed softly. “I don’t want you to think you don’t have a choice, Addy. If this isn’t what you want…”

“That’s not what I said,” I quipped, sitting up. “I meant… I guess you and Ro put me in a place where I couldn’t ignore how I felt about both of you. But I have a choice. I get to decide if this is what I want, and right now… it’s what I want.”

He settled his palm against my cheek. “Don’t say that if you don’t mean it, princess,” he said, something vulnerable in his voice.

“I mean it.” I smiled and leaned up on my knees to kiss him softly. “And if the time ever comes that I don’t, I’ll tell you. Both of you.”

We were quiet for a moment before Dean nodded and pressed his lips against my forehead. “So,” he said, pointing at the TV, “does this thing get HBO?”

I found the remote and gave it to him. He flipped through the channels until he found a show about classic cars. He’d slipped off his jacket and draped it over me like a blanket before curling me against his shoulder, stroking his fingers up and down my arm. I felt his cheek press against the top of my head as he watched the show.

“I never pegged you for a car guy,” I said after a while.

Dean’s hand stilled. I felt his jaw tense. “Most people think I stole that car.”

I pressed my palm against his knee, squeezing gently. “Most people are stupid.”

He settled a kiss on the top of my head and pulled me a little closer. “There’s a lot of them that would argue with you, princess.” His voice was sad and quiet when he spoke. “They’re gonna look at you funny when they see you with me.”

“They’re going to look at me funny anyway, Dean. Drew and Nya know I went out with you tonight and not Ro. And Sonya knows that I’m dating both of you. It’s going to be hard to hide.” I gave him a faint smile. “Not that I want to.”

“You aren’t afraid of people being dicks and calling you names because of us?”

I turned so that I was facing him. My fingers laced with his, holding his hand in both of mine. “What are they going to call me? A slut? A whore? Who cares?” I met his blue-eyed gaze with my own. “Do you think I’m either of those things?”

He settled his free hand against my cheek. “I think you’re perfect. And maybe too pure to be with a guy like me.”

“Cash in your other twenty-nine,” I whispered, moving closer, “and see how pure I am.”

***

“Hey, Momma,” I said, carrying my phone around the room as I packed up the last of the things I’d need over break. “Are you sure you guys aren’t mad?”

“Honey, I’ve seen that boyfriend of yours. I’d stay close too,” my mother said teasingly. I grinned, feeling myself blush. “Just come home for a few days at Christmas, that’s all we want.”

I promised that I’d be home by Christmas Eve and sent my love then hung up. Then I double checked my room, zipped up my bag, and left a note for Sonya and Peyton. Drew was in the lobby, a huge duffle bag at his feet.

He grinned and crossed the room, wrapping me in a big, warm bear hug. “Be safe and Happy Christmas, yeah, Addy?”

I returned the hug and kissed him on the cheek. “You, too. When does your flight leave?”

“Six hours. I’m going to hang around here, say goodbye to the boys, then Baron is giving me a lift. You driving back home?”

When he sat me down, I leaned against the wall beside him. “Eventually. I’m staying around here for a little longer.”

The big Scotsman gave me a wink. “Ah,” he said knowingly. “You staying with Ro and Dean?” He waggled his eyebrows, clearly insinuating that untoward activities would be taking place.

“That’s none of your business, Drew McIntyre,” I replied teasingly.

He bumped me with his elbow. “How’d the date go?”

“It was good. Fun. Dean took me to that pub downtown. We played darts and then came back here.” Drew’s blue eyes went wide. “And stayed in the lounge _watching television_ , you perv. Dean’s really into cars.”

“He’s really into you. And so’s Roman.” There was something questioning in his voice. I glanced up to see him watching me with worry. “Don’t break his heart, huh, lass. I don’t think he could take it. Besides, we’re in the playoffs this season… can’t have him moping about a pretty girl.”

I reached up and smacked him on his thick shoulder. “First of all, aww… you think I’m pretty! Second of all, I have no intention of breaking anyone’s heart. This whole thing…” I waved at the air around me, unsure what exactly I was gesturing at. “It was their idea. So don’t lecture me, Highlander.”

Drew let out a loud, deep, rumbling laugh and threw his arm around my neck. He dropped a brotherly kiss on the top of my head. “Yeah, see that’s the thing with me, lass. I don’t share. There can be only one.”

I thumped him in the chest and pushed away from his side when I saw Roman’s truck pull up outside. I snatched up my bags and grinned at him. “Safe flight, Scotty. See you in January.”

Drew was still laughing as I pushed out of the door and ran across the quad toward the parking lot. The passenger door opened and Dean hopped out, grinning at me with his hair hidden under a beanie. Roman appeared over the top of the truck, standing on the runner on the driver’s side. Both of them were grinning like fools, though there was something wicked hidden deep beneath those beatific smiles.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

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Dean plopped down on the sofa, kicking his boots off and propping his feet up on the table. Roman kissed the side of my head as he moved by with my suitcases. The apartment was warm as I toed off my shoes and padded over to stretch out next to Dean. He stuffed a pillow beneath the back of my head and his thigh and grinned down at me.

“This is going to be interesting,” I said, tucking my toes beneath the pillows. “The four of us here together. Isn’t it going to be weird for Seth?”

“Nah,” Dean said softly. “He’s going back to Iowa to see his family for Christmas. He flew out this morning. It’s just you and us.”

I felt my brows lift. “Oh, goodness…” I said sweetly. “Whatever shall I do?”

Roman appeared in my vision, a grin curling his lips. “I’m pretty sure we can think of a few things.”

I sat up as if someone had punched me in the gut. It was one thing to date them in theory… even in practice… but I hadn’t once thought about what might happen with the _other_ aspects of a relationship between the three of us. Heat burned across my face, and I was sure that I was blushing as bright as a beet.

“Baby girl? You okay?” Roman asked, sitting on the edge of the table.

My ears were ringing as I thought about how to put into words what I felt. I knew that I _needed_ to say it, but I didn’t know how. For a second, I thought I was going to pass out. I thought I was going to be sick.

“Hey,” Dean said, reaching out to take my hands in his. “What’s wrong?”

“What…” I replied, taking a deep breath. “What do you guys expect from me?”

It was quiet for a moment as they looked at each other and then back at me. “We don’t… Addy… we don’t expect anything from you. We just want you to be happy. That’s all.”

I gasped in a breath. “We’re… I thought…” I gestured around me at the apartment, at the fact that it was the three of us alone together.

Dean slid his arm around my back and kissed the side of my head. “Princess, if all you ever want to do is eat pizza, watch movies, and sleep—alone—all break, that’s fine with us. We’ll set you up in Seth’s room.”

“You don’t even have to hang out with us if you don’t want to,” Roman added, his taking my free hand in his. He brushed his thumb along the back of my fingers. “Just having you here is enough for us.”

I suddenly felt as if a weight had fallen from my chest. The two of them watched me carefully, their faces open and honest. They looked at me as if the world turned around where we three sat together. Dean’s forehead settled against my hair, his warm breath skimming along my throat. Roman caressed my skin as if I was made of porcelain and velvet.

“I thought you guys would want more from me now that we’re… _you know_ ,” I said as I glanced between the two of them.

Dean chuckled mischievously against my ear. “Well, I’m not going to deny that I’ve thought about it.” His wide hand skimmed up the line of my spine. “But it’s all on you, princess. It’s whatever you want. Whatever, whenever.”

“Why are you guys doing this?” I asked quietly. “Most guys in your position would take advantage of it.”

Warmth slipped through my limbs as Roman chuckled. “Trust me, baby girl, I know I’ve thought about every which way to take advantage of this position,” he replied, wiggling his eyebrows. “But why are doing this? Because we love you, Addy. And there’s nothing that we wouldn’t do for you.”

I breathed deeply. “So if I _were_ to say I was… _interested_ …”

“All you have to do is ask,” Roman promised. “One. Both. What you want. That’s it.”

“You won’t be upset with me, with each other, if I wanted to… _stay_ with one of you rather than both of you at night?”

“Princess,” Dean said, his fingers curling against my chin and tilting my face to meet his gaze. “I don’t care if you sleep in Roman’s bed and fuck him every night you’re here. As long as you get up in the morning and smile at me, as long as you kiss me and tell me you love me… nothing else matters.”

Roman sank onto the sofa next to me. “If you want to sleep by yourself in Seth’s room and not see either one of us at night, that’s fine with us.”

***

We had Chinese takeout for dinner. The three of us sat around the rickety table in mismatched chairs sharing General Tso’s, fried rice, and egg rolls. The TV played low in the background and drew Dean’s attention every now and then. He’d found a show about restoring classic cars.

After dinner, Dean collapsed on the sofa, the hood of his sweatshirt up over his gingery-brown hair. Roman packed away the leftovers into the fridge while I went to drop my stuff in Seth’s room. The walls were plastered with record covers and tour posters of a myriad of rock bands—most of them of the alternative punk and emo persuasion. The full bed was made up with a black comforter and slate grey sheets. It was clean and organized. The desk had a stack of CDs on the shelf and a few worn paperbacks beneath the lamp.

I pushed my suitcase into the corner and sat down on the edge of the bed, taking a deep breath as I let myself settle into the understanding that this was my life now. While Seth’s room looked comfortable, I didn’t like the idea of sleeping alone. I just couldn’t figure out how to maneuver the sleeping arrangements for the night.

To take my mind off the conundrum, I grabbed my toiletries and headed to the bathroom to take a shower. It took me a moment to figure out how the shower worked, but when I finally did the water came out wonderfully warm. I slipped beneath the spray and let it run over my face and hair. After a while, all that mattered was the way the steam relaxed my senses and drew the worry from my limbs.

I took my time drying my hair before wrapping in a towel to head back to Seth’s room to get dressed. I opened the door and took two steps into the hallway before I ran smack into Roman’s broad chest. When I looked up, he was grinning down at me, his dark eyes burning bright.

“Feel better, baby girl?” he asked, stroking his fingertips along my cheek and down my neck.

“Yes,” I replied, nipping the inside of my bottom lip. “I had some time to think.”

He watched, waiting patiently, letting me take my time. I settled my palm against his chest, feeling the beat of his heart beneath my fingertips.

“Are you okay with me sleeping with… sleeping _in_ Dean’s room tonight?” The words came out more hesitant than I intended. My shower self had been desperately certain of her decision.

Roman tucked his knuckle beneath my chin and lifted my head. His lips curled into a smile. “I’m fine with it, Addy. I promise. As long as you still love me, as long as you’re honest with me… I’m fine with it.”

I stood up on my toes and pressed my lips to his, wrapping my arms around his neck. “I love you, Ro,” I said, smiling against his mouth.

He curled his arms around my back and lifted me from the floor. He squeezed me until I could hardly breathe, but I didn’t care. “I love you, too, baby girl.”

***

It was near midnight when they started winding down. I sat on the sofa, curled into Roman’s side, and wrapped in a blanket. There was an old B-rated horror movie on the television that barely held my attention. I was more preoccupied with figuring out how to tell Dean my plans for the night.

Roman nuzzled his nose against my hair and kissed my temple. His mouth settled against my ear. “Just follow him when he gets up,” he whispered as if he knew what I was thinking. “It’ll make him happy.”

I threaded my fingers with his as we waited in the quiet. My heart started to pound against my ribs. I squirmed, nerves settling in my chest.

Almost half an hour later, Dean unfolded himself from the armchair and stretched, pushing the hood back of his hair. “Night, Ro. Night, princess.”

He leaned over and dropped a kiss on the top of my head before padding toward the hallway. I glanced up at Roman, calmed by his steady smile, and kissed him goodnight. Then I slipped off the sofa and trailed behind Dean. He turned toward the bathroom, so I went straight into his room.

It was so different from Seth’s and Roman’s. Where Roman’s was utilitarian and Seth’s was orderly, Dean’s was a verifiable disaster. Clothes were piled in heaps in his desk chair and on the floor. His bag was thrown in the corner, books and supplies spilling out of it. Magazines were stacked in haphazard towers. I grabbed one from the top of the nearest one and plopped down on the end of Dean’s bed, unsurprised to find the magazine was dedicated to classic cars.

Dean slipped through the doorway, kicking the door shut with his foot as he tugged his hoodie over his head. I flipped the magazine closed and tossed it back onto the stack. He jumped and turned around, denim blue eyes going wide when he saw me. I couldn’t stop my gaze from walking up the length of his torso. I bit down the faint sigh of surprise as I drank in the way his broad shoulders tapered down over a toned chest to a ridiculously narrow waist, a deep V disappearing beneath the waistband of his jeans.

I bit my lip and looked up at him, feeling boldness spill into my veins. “I’m cashing in my twenty-nine.”


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

_(GIF owned by lunatic-desert-child on Tumblr)_

Dean watched me for a long moment, his chest rising and falling as he sucked in steadying breaths. Something soft slipped into his gaze as he came closer. My heart skipped a beat as he ran a hand through his mussed hair and smiled. Dimples popped in his cheeks.

“Are you sure about that?” he asked, his voice low and almost dangerous.

I licked my lips and nodded, feeling braver than I ever had before. My pulse pounded in my ears as Dean stepped into my personal space. I felt the heat radiating from his body. The scent of his skin and cologne and soap burned itself into my memory. My hands went up, fingers settling on his wrists to tug him down toward me.

“Dean…” His name dripped from my lips in a warm, deep syllable.

Seriousness bled onto his face as he rested his forehead against mine. “Don’t… don’t say my name like that, princess.”

I brushed my fingertips against his cheek then around the back of his neck. My nose bumped into his as I toyed with his hair. “Why not?”

He sighed, one hand slipping into my hair and cradling my skull in his palm. “Because it makes me want to do _wicked_ things to you.”

Heat raced through my veins. I watched as his blue eyes darkened, his pupils going wide. He looked down at me with a faint smile on his lips. I tipped my chin upward, my mouth brushing lightly against his.

Dean let out a sound that sounded like something between a groan and a whimper. His fingers flexed against my scalp as he pushed forward, his tongue sweeping the seam of my lips. My hands locked together around the back of his neck as he deepened the kiss. It was like he stole the breath straight from my lungs. Everything went fuzzy around the edges. I felt lightheaded and tingly all over.

I felt him smile as he ended the kiss, panting against my cheek. I swallowed hard, trying to find my wits again. Dean walked his fingertips along the nape of my neck, dipped beneath the fabric of my shirt, and stroked the hollow of my throat where my collarbones met. My pulse pounded in my ears as I locked my eyes with his and tugged my shirt over my head.

Goosebumps rose along my flesh—partly from a chill in the air, but mostly because of the way Dean looked at me like he would devour me. I felt the touch of his gaze as it slid along the slope of my shoulders, down my arms, over my stomach and back up to the curves of my breasts. His jaw was clenched tight, nostrils flared as he breathed.

“Stand up,” he said, his voice deeper and darker than before. Something had shifted in his face; the softness had been replaced by an aura of… control. I shivered as I got to my feet.

He reached out and ghosted his fingertips along the length of my arm. He circled them around my wrist and drew me forward, pressing my palm against his chest just over his heart. When he looked at me again, I felt every cell in my body ignite with desire.

“Do you trust me, Addy?” he asked, his hand keeping mine pressed firmly against his flesh. I could count his heartbeats beneath my fingers.

I didn’t have to think. My nod was immediate. “Yes.”

He smiled, something altogether wicked and sensual. Dean took a step toward me, his free hand sliding up my back, snapping the clasp of my bra open as he went, then twisting in my hair, wrapping it around his fist. His nose bumped against mine as he looked me in the eye.

“I’m taking more than twenty-nine minutes tonight, princess,” he purred. “If you ever want me to stop, all you gotta do is say so.”

I nodded, drunk on the heat and scent of his skin. His eyes darkened. “You’re gonna have to use your words.”

My breath caught in my chest. I licked my lips and nipped at the bottom one. “I understand.”

Dean smiled again, and this one was softer and sweeter. He tugged gently on my hair, making me tip my head up toward his. When he kissed me, it was like the first time. His mouth fit against mine perfectly. The softness of his lips was a heady contrast to the rising desperation of his kiss. I whimpered and slipped my free hand around the back of his neck, tugging him tighter against me. He reached back and snatched my wrist, pulling my hand down and twisting my arm around my back.

“Hands to yourself, princess,” he said, stepping back away from me. The corner of his lips tipped upward in a smirk. “Now… get rid of those clothes.”

I hesitated, gasping for breath as I looked up into his desperately beautiful face. His smirk faded. “Don’t make me wait,” he growled, his hands going to his belt. My fear must have shown on my face because he reached out to settle his palm against my cheek. “I will never _ever_ hurt you, princess. _Never_.”

“I know,” I replied, my voice small. Even I couldn’t ignore the fear that still lingered. Dean brushed his thumb against my cheekbone. I tilted my head into his touch, closing my eyes and nuzzling against his palm. “I know.”

He leaned in and kissed me again, this time tenderly and slowly. The fear ebbed away slowly as he tugged my bra down my arms. Warmth and desire burned into my blood as his fingers swept down my torso, popping the button on my jeans free.

“Trust me,” he whispered as he pushed my jeans down over my hips. They fell to the floor and I kicked them away. His hands planted on my hips and pulled me tight against him. I whimpered when his skin pressed hot against mine. “Trust me.”

“I do.”

Dean smiled and settled his mouth against the side of my throat. He left a path of warm, gentle kisses along the slope of my neck, across my shoulders. He nuzzled and nipped at the flesh of my breasts. My fingers clenched at my sides as he took first one nipple and then the other in his mouth, rolling his tongue around each one, suckling until I was panting, scraping them gently with his teeth. He moved further, gently biting the skin around my navel. I shuddered as he licked a line along the band of my underwear.

I felt my nails dig into my palms. I was so desperate to touch him, to drag my fingers through his hair, to touch him. He chuckled darkly as he pressed his nose against my mound, nuzzling against me until I whimpered, my hips writhing on their own.

He grinned, hooked his fingers in the band of my underwear and swept them down my legs. Heat burned at the base of my spine when I saw him tuck them into his pocket. “Back against the wall, princess.”

I trembled as I took a few steps backward and shivered when my back hit the cold wall. Dean cradled my neck in his hands, his thumbs settled in the soft place beneath my chin. He tilted my head up and brought his lips down. The kiss was demanding and commanding, making my knees go weak.

A moment later, Dean was kneeling in front of me. He nudged my legs apart, wrapping one arm around my thigh. My palms flattened against the wall as he leaned forward and swept his tongue along the length of my core. I whimpered. He adjusted his position, propping my foot on his shoulder, and probed his tongue between my folds.

“Dean,” I breathed, nails scratching against the wall as he curled his tongue against my clit and sucked it into his mouth. My back arched, pressing my hips down against his mouth.

He growled at the sound of his name, and the vibrations ran through me. My heart was pounding in my ears, I could hardly catch my breath, and it felt like fire was pulsing through my veins. It was almost too much… in the most wonderful way.

I smacked the wall hard when Dean slipped first one then two fingers inside me. He pumped them into me, curling them against an amazing spot that made fireworks pop behind my eyelids. He matched the pace of his fingers with the flicking and swirling of his tongue along my clit… hard and fast and unrelentingly commanding.

The ache started low in my stomach, tensing and coiling deep inside me. My legs trembled. My nails curled against the wall almost painfully. I was desperate for relief, and I begged him for it.

“Please,” I whined, my hips bucking against him, my hands curling into fists. “Please… please… please…”

Dean doubled his efforts and I slammed my hand over my mouth to keep from screaming. My orgasm snapped through me, my muscles tightening until I couldn’t stand it any longer. Just as quickly, they throbbed with release and I nearly collapsed with it.

I panted, my legs trembling, my heart racing. Dean sat back on his heels, and I could feel his eyes on me. My eyes opened, and I whimpered at the sight of Dean sucking the taste of me from his fingers. He smirked at me for a moment, then let it soften into a sweet smile.

“Let go, princess,” he soothed, settling my foot back on the ground. “I’ve got you.”

My legs gave way and I sank against him. He gathered me up in his arms, his nose nuzzling against my hair. I sighed against his chest and smiled. “Can I touch you now?”

He smiled, leaving little kisses over my forehead as he nodded. I wrapped my arms around his neck. He lifted me up and, after a moment of weightlessness, sank onto his bed. He cradled me in his lap and stroked his fingers through my hair. My fingers stroked the line of his throat and the scruff along his jaw.

“That was…”

“… thirty-seven,” Dean said smugly.


	22. Chapter 22

_(GIF owned by lunatic-desert-child on Tumblr)_

Chapter 22

Dean pressed me back against his mattress, his body stretched out beside mine as he drew teasing patterns on my skin. He traced the line where my leg and torso met, slipping just close enough to between my legs that I whimpered but never far enough to touch exactly where I wanted. His fingers swept in circles along the flesh of my breast, never quite reaching my nipples.

My entire body shivered as I leaned into his touch. He knew exactly what he was doing with his roughened fingertips. It was as if he knew every point and spot that made want burn through my veins. As if he’d touched me like this a million times.

“Dean,” I whispered, digging my fingers into his blankets. “Are you going to do anything other than tease?”

He grinned and leaned down to nuzzle against the side of my neck, leaving soft open-mouthed kisses along the length of my throat. My heart skipped a beat as he nipped gently, laughing darkly against my skin.

“The fun is in the teasing,” Dean murmured in my ear. His hand skimmed down my belly and along my thigh, slipping into the space between them. He dug his fingers into my flesh, guiding my legs open. His fingers walked up the inside of my thigh, his palm settled over my center and rubbed slowly back and forth. “Seems like you’re enjoying it.”

I let out a whimper as he dipped one finger between my folds, sweeping it against my clit in faint circles. Dean growled and settled his lips against mine, kissing me feverishly. The moment we broke apart, he rolled up to his feet at the side of the bed. His denim eyes watched me as he undid his jeans and pushed them off his narrow hips. A moment later, his boxers followed suit.

He dug in the drawer by his bed and pulled out a condom. A sudden bravery slashed through me, and I crawled off the bed and knelt in the floor in front of him. Dean looked down at me, his pupils blowing wide as he brushed the hair off my face and slid his fingers into my locks, wrapping the length of it around his fist. I looked up the length of his body as I wrapped my hand around his cock and stroked experimentally.

Dean let out a groan as I licked my lips and stroked a few more times before I leaned forward and swirled my tongue around him. The hand in my hair tightened as I took more of him into my mouth, sucking and stroking gently. I picked up the pace, licking along the underside of his cock with the flat of my tongue, feeling him hit the back of my throat. He swore and fisted his hand in my hair, pulling almost painfully. His hips bucked forward, choking me for a moment, forcing me to gasp for breath.

An instant later, he tugged me away and pulled me to my feet. The hand in my hair slipped around to grip my jaw, tilting my head up to look at him. There was something hungry and feral in his blue eyes. His words were a commanding snarl.

“On the bed. Hands and knees.”

I heard the rip of foil as I did as he ordered. I had no more bent over than Dean gripped me by the hips and pulled me back almost to the edge of the mattress. He kicked my legs together and pushed my shoulders down against the blankets with his palm in the center of my back. I shivered as he scratched his nails gently down my spine and stepped up to the edge of the bed.

He pressed his cock against me, pressing forward in one long, slow stroke. My entire body shuddered as he ground his hips against my ass before pulling back out completely. There was a single second of loss before he thrust roughly back in, his hands hard on my hips as he bucked his hips against me, his cock stretching and filling me in a new and delicious way.

The only sound I could make was a whimper into the sheets. Dean dug his fingers into my hips and thighs as he fucked me, one foot up on the bed frame as he thrust harder and faster. I ached in the most wonderful way. Every muscle in my body started to tighten. My toes curled, my nails dug into the blankets, I bit down on my lip, I shuddered. I felt the orgasm teetering on the edge in every single cell of my body.

Dean slid his hand around my thigh and circled my clit roughly. I squealed as I hurtled off into the abyss, my orgasm crackling like lightning from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet. Even as I trembled in the aftershocks, Dean wrapped his hands in my hair and pulled, arching my back as he rode through my orgasm and chased his own.

When he came, it was with a soul rending growl of my name. He held me tight against him, still rocking and grinding his hips against me, free hand circling my clit and milking another orgasm from me.

My muscles gave out. The only thing holding me together was his fist in my hair and his arm around my thigh. Dean leaned over me and peppered soft kisses along the back of my shoulders and down my back. His hold loosened in my hair as he stroked my scalp, soothing whatever ache he’d caused.

“Beautiful,” he whispered softly, pulling out and settling me gently on my back in the center of his bed. One second he was gone and then he was back again, boxers on, water bottle in one hand and a warm, wet towel in the other. “Beautiful and perfect. My princess…”

He murmured nonsense as he swept the towel up the inside of my thighs, along my core. I closed my eyes and settled against the pillows, feeling my heart slow and my limbs turn to jelly. Dean’s fingers massaged gently from my ankles to my hips, fingers to shoulders.

“Have a drink, princess,” he said firmly, slipping an arm beneath my shoulders to sit me up. “You need it.”

Dean held the bottle to my lips and tipped it slowly, giving me a little at a time. When he was satisfied, he let me curl up on the mattress again. The bottle ended up on the bedside table. He slipped into bed beside me, tucking the blankets over us. He drew me against his chest and left fleeting kisses on my hair.

“You’re such a good girl, princess.” He hugged me tightly against him, his lips finding mine. “Thank you for letting me take care of you.”

I murmured something unintelligible against his muscled chest and slipped into sleep.

***

Wakefulness came in fits and starts. First was the awareness that I was naked. Second was the sense of heat wrapped around me. Third was the bulk of the muscled body nestled against my back. I smiled and wriggled back against the body, feeling my consciousness finally slip into being.

I rolled over, grinning when I saw Dean sleeping soundly. His gingery hair was mussed, his long lashes fluttering against his cheeks, and his lips were parted slightly as he breathed. I pressed a gentle kiss against his forehead and went to roll out of the bed.

His arms wrapped around me, snatching me back against him. His voice was deep and thick with sleep when he spoke. “Don’t think you’re going anywhere. Not ‘til I say so, princess.”

“Dean,” I pouted, bumping his nose with mine. “I need to go to the bathroom. And I’m hungry.”

He growled and scrubbed one hand over his face, smacking himself in the cheek to wake himself up. “Alright, alright,” he said playfully exasperated. “You go do your business, and I’ll take care of breakfast.”

In a moment he was on his feet, stretching his arms high over his head. I watched the muscles move beneath his skin, suddenly remembering how he looked in the ring during his fight. Heat flooded my cheeks.

Dean grinned and scooped me from the mattress and sat me on my feet. His palms cradled my face as he kissed me softly and soundly. Before he slipped from the room, he snatched his jeans up from the floor, rummaged around in the pocket, and threw my panties back at me with a smirk.

I rolled my eyes as I slipped them back on, then dug in his dresser for a pair of sweats and a shirt. A few minutes later, I dashed down the hall to the bathroom. I washed my face and brushed my teeth with one of their toothbrushes before nearly skipping back to the living room.

The television was already on. I grinned when I saw it was cartoons. “Oh, _Teen Titans_ , turn it up,” I said as I flopped onto the couch in Dean’s favorite spot.

Roman was sprawled in the armchair, hair knotted on top of his head, eyes still drowsy. He smiled and clicked up the volume before nearly throwing his gigantic frame on the couch, his head in my lap.

“Morning, baby girl,” he rumbled, nuzzling against my thigh, and closing his eyes. I smiled down at him, stroking my fingers along his hairline.

“Morning, Ro,” I replied.

“Breakfast sandwiches,” Dean shouted jubilantly from the kitchen behind us. I could smell toasting bread, melting cheese and sizzling sausage. The aroma was mouthwatering.

My stomach growled.

Roman laughed. “Deano makes the _best_ breakfast sandwiches.”


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

_(GIF owned by stellarollins on Tumblr)_

“If it bothers you, we don’t have to,” Roman said as flopped down on the sofa beside me. Dean had his head in my lap as I stroked my fingers through his gingery hair. His blue eyes were closed, and there was something sweetly content in his smile. I felt my heart swell with happiness as I watched him in his _almost_ sleep.

My heart got even bigger when I looked at Roman, who was watching me with his dark eyes full of concern. He reached out and brushed my hair behind my ear, his thumb lingering against the skin just behind it.

“Seriously, _la’u Fetu e Tasi_ ,” Roman continued, dipping his head to look me in the eyes. “If you don’t want to go public with this yet… we understand.”

He smiled at me in that beautiful way of his. I felt heat slip under my skin at the sound of his voice and the lilting of his new Samoan nickname for me. _My one and only star_. It was beautiful and sweet, and I wasn’t sure whether I liked that or _baby girl_ more.

Dean cracked open his eyes and reached his hand up to tap his fingers against my chin. “We can change into our pajamas, order a pizza, and watch something on Netflix.”

I looked between them. They wore equal expressions of understanding and love. I knew they would do whatever I asked them. Even if it meant hiding the new developments in our relationships a little bit longer.

It wasn’t a secret that I was dating Roman. It seemed like my entire dorm knew, and so did the entire team and the Pirate Poms. But some of them—like Drew and Sonya—knew that I’d also been on a date with Dean. I’m sure that Drew at least had put two and two together and came up with three.

“It isn’t that… I’m not ashamed of you… of us…” I said quietly. “Please don’t think that.”

Dean sat up and turned his body until I was caught between him and Roman. They each took one of my hands and squeezed my fingers. After a moment, Dean brushed my hair behind my ear and settled his forehead against my shoulder.

“We know that, princess. But we also know that we’re not the ones who are going to be getting the raw end of the deal from everybody else.” His voice was soft against my ear, and I turned to press a kiss against his hair.

Roman slipped his free arm around my back, his thumb rubbing slow circles between my shoulder blades. It relaxed the tension that had collected in my chest. “Hey, go raid Dean’s clothes. I’ll order something to eat. Then we’ll figure out something to watch.”

I looked between the two of them, feeling something warm burn through my body. Dean grinned sideways at me, showing off the dimples that always made my heart race. Roman slipped his hand into my hair, stroking his thumb down the back of my neck.

“I love you,” I said softly. “I love you both so much.”

“Love you, too, baby girl,” Roman replied, kissing my forehead. “Now go on and get changed.”

I squeezed their hands as I stood up. Roman brushed his hand along my hip, the silky fabric of my top slipping against his fingers. I stepped over Dean’s legs and let out a yelp when he smacked me on the ass. He was grinning beautifully when I looked over my shoulder.

Dean’s room was as messy as always—stacks of car magazines and the paraphernalia of an MMA fighter—but there was something different about it lately. The first time I’d been in this room, I’d been floundering under the confusing attraction I had to him. Now, weeks later, it felt like… home.

I snatched a pair of his boxers and a t-shirt from the pile of fresh laundry on his bed. Even though I’d been nervous about it, I’d gotten dressed up—hair and makeup—at the mention of a date. I pulled the pins and the tie from my hair, letting it spill down over my shoulders. The blue underneath had faded since I’d arrived at Grand Mountain, leaving only the tint at the ends of the light brown strands.

_I’m getting a haircut this weekend_ , I thought as I slipped back into the open space that served as living room and dining space. Roman leaned against the counter that separated the kitchen from the living room, his phone in his hand. He’d somehow changed into sweatpants and a tank top that showed off the dark tattoos that snaked from his right pectoral all the way over his shoulder and down to his wrist. I remembered the first time I’d seen them, run my fingers over the inked designs.

He glanced up at me absently. “You want pizza or Chinese or…” His voice trailed off as he took a good look at me. “Dean…”

“What, Uce?” he said from his place stretched out on the sofa. He had the Playstation on, searching through the movie offerings on Netflix.

I grinned at Roman and swept around the end of the couch. “I’m okay with whatever, Ro.”

“Let’s get pizza then.” Denim blue eyes finally settled on me, standing near his feet. He sat up, a slow smile spreading over his face. “God damn, you look good in my clothes.”

Strong, tanned arms wrapped around my middle, drawing me back against a solid chest. “When does she not look good?” He kissed the side of my neck playfully.

“Point,” Dean said, grinning up at us. “Now stop manhandling Addy and order us some food. I’m starving.”

I grinned and pushed Dean’s legs out of the way as I sat down. He did a quick 180 and put his head in my lap. I leaned down and kissed his forehead before looking up at Roman. “What are you waiting for? Go order us some pizza!”

He laughed and winked before going back to grab his phone.

***

Dean picked _It._ I loved scary movies, and I really loved Steven King movies. Butterflies took off in my belly when I realized he’d picked it on purpose. They took up places on either side of me, an extra-large pepperoni pizza open on the coffee table. As much as I loved scary movies, there were always those times when I jumped and screamed. The first time was near the very beginning—when Georgie got his arm bitten off. Dean put his arm around me, squeezing me close.

By the end, I was caught up by both of them, stretched over their laps. I squealed near the end and Roman put his hands over my eyes.

The movie had just ended when the front door opened. Seth slipped inside, shaking snow off his black hoodie. He took a quick inventory of the three of us on the sofa and huffed. “I’m going, I’m going!”

Dean chuckled. “Come get some pizza, Rollins. We’re going for the double feature.” He looked down at me and pressed a kiss to my lips. “Comedy this time. Adam Sandler anybody?”

Seth rolled his eyes and kicked off his shoes. “If you want me to leave, just say so.”

He passed by and smiled. For the first time, I noticed there was a slight gap between his front teeth. “What’s up, Addy?”

“My grades and my bank account,” I replied, holding my hand up. He gave me a high five before disappearing into the hallway.

A second later, his head reappeared around the corner. “ _The Hangover_ ,” he ordered, tapping the wall.

I threw a thumbs up over my head. “You heard the man,” I said, tapping Dean on the shoulder.

Ten minutes later, Seth reappeared smelling of soap and shampoo. He wore a pair of dark grey sweatpants and a faded black band tee. His dark hair was damp and knotted up at the back of his head.

“Did you bring me coffee?” I queried as he went to the fridge and grabbed a soda.

He passed in front of the television and plopped down in the only remaining chair. He snatched up a slice of pizza and put his feet up. “It’s eleven thirty at night.”

I felt my brows move toward my hairline. “And?”

Roman laughed. “I swear, you’re more of a caffeine junky than he is, baby girl.”

Seth chuckled and leaned his head back, bringing the greasy, cheesy pizza to his mouth. He spoke with his mouth half full. “Turn the movie on, dude.”

Dean rolled his eyes and hit the remote. I snuggled down into the cushions while Roman handed me another slice. “Have I ever told you guys how much I absolutely _love_ Bradley Cooper?”

“Yes,” Roman laughed. “Last week when we watched _The A-Team_ ”

“And the week before that when we watched _Limitless_ ,” Dean added.

“ _And_ the week before that,” Seth garbled around another bite, “when we watched that one with Katniss. What’s her face?”

“Jennifer Lawrence.”

“That’s her,” he replied, grinning at me.

I snatched a napkin from the table, balled it up, and threw it at him. “You’ve got grease in your beard.”

He caught it one handed, his grin never moving. “Saving it for later.”

“Ew,” I retorted. He laughed. 


End file.
